Personality Development
Erik Erikson
Erik Erikson
In each stage a person faces certain
conflicts and challenges.
People must modify their personalities in
order to adjust successfully to their social
environments
Begin in childhood
A child’s success in the early stages
depends largely on their parents
An ongoing process that is never final
Trust vs. Mistrust
Trust
o
Respond
quickly
o
Holding
o
Cuddling
o
Playing
o
Talking to them
o
Love them
o
Care for them
Mistrust
Receive
inconsistent care
Receive little
love and attention
Fear and
suspicion toward the
world and everyone in
it
Trust vs. Mistrust
TRUST!
These infants see the
world as a safe place
and other people as
helpful and
dependable
Autonomy vs, Shame
2 to 3 yrs old
Autonomy

Develop a sense of independence

Developing minds of their owns

SAYING NO!

Allow children to practice new motor skills, want
to do everything themselves

Let them practice life skills and make simple
choices

Gives a sense that they can control their own
behavior and their environment

Builds confidence
They will look forward to meeting greater challenges
Shame

Not allowing children to do things for
themselves

Doubt their abilities

Always critizeing and scolding children
for not being perfect

Question their worth and their abilities to
control themselves and their world.
View themselves and the world in shame and
doubt.
Initiative vs. Guilt
Four and five year olds
Initiative
Often initiate activities
Spend time imaging what they want to do,
then think of ways to do those things.
Children need to know their ideas, questions,
and concepts matter to others
Children need chances to create play ideas
and put them into action
Guilt




Parents scold instead encourage
Children’s play ideas are not praised
Belittle and ridicule children
Punishing children foe acting on their
ideas

No encouragement to think or be creative

Parents convey to children that their ideas
are not valuable or worthwhile
The child will feel less confident
Industry vs. Inferiority
6 to 11
C
Children capable
of deductive reasoning

Learn to follow rules

Become interested in
how things are made, how
they work, and what they
do

Parents are no
longer the only influence
on stages; friends,
Industry

Capacity to make a productive
effort.

What parents can do
o
Encourage children to do, make, or
build projects
o
Stress importance of seeing a task
through to completion
Praise and reward them for their efforts
Inferiority

Feel incapable of succeeding in their
efforts
 Discouraged from doing and making things
on their own

Not praised for their accomplishments,
don’t feel like they can do anything right.

May passively accept failure or misbehave
to compensate