●​ Erik Erikson believes that development happens throughout the entire lifespan.
●​ We encounter different psychosocial crises/conflicts in each stage of life that we need to resolve in order to gain a virtue that
we can use to solve crises in later stages of life.
●​ Failure to resolve said crises may result in malignancy (too much negative) or maladaptive (too much positive) behaviors.
●​ Goal: Keep everything balanced to get the virtue of each stage.
*Positive *Negative
Period
Stage
Age
Key Question
Virtue
Malignancy
Maladaptation
Infancy
Trust vs.
Mistrust
Birth to 12 - 18
months
“Can I trust the
world?”
Hope - have the
belief that the
world is good
and people can
be trusted
Withdrawal fear, suspicion,
social
disconnection.
Sensory
Distortion overly trusting,
gullible
Early
Childhood
Autonomy vs.
Shame and
Doubt
12 - 18 months
“Can I do things
myself?”
Will - have the
confidence to
act
independently
Compulsion rigid,
perfectionistic,
fear of mistakes
Impulsiveness
- reckless, lacks
self-control
Preschool
Initiative vs.
Guilt
3 to 6 years old
“Is it okay for me
to act, move,
and explore?”
Purpose - able
to set goals and
work towards
achieving it
Inhibition - too
scared to start
something new
and gets
paralyzed by
guilt
Ruthlessness always taking
initiative without
caring about
others
School Age
Industry vs.
Inferiority
6 to 12 years old “Can I be
competent and
successful in
school/work?”
Competence belief in their
own capability to
master skills
and accomplish
tasks
Inertia - do not
have motivation
to do anything
and has the
tendency to
avoid
challenges
Narrow
Virtuosity - too
focused on only
one kind of
achievement
Adolescence
Identity vs. Role
Confusion
12 to 18 years
old
“Who am i?”
Fidelity - loyalty
to self and
values one
believes in
Repudiation tendency to
deny own
identity/self,
values, and
exhibit
confusion
Fanaticism extreme belief
that he is above
others (main
character) and
that he is better
than everyone
else
Young
Adulthood
Intimacy vs.
Isolation
18 to 40 years
old
“Can I form
close
relationships?”
Love - ability to
form deep
connection and
intimacy with
others that are
based on trust
and respect
Exclusivity tendency to not
open up to
others, avoids
making
relationship with
others
Promiscuity shallow intimacy
with others, do
not really feel a
“connection”
with others
Middle
Adulthood
Generativity vs.
Stagnation
40 to 65 years
old
“Will I be able to
contribute to the
world?”
Care - feels
concerned for
others and the
world, feels like
they need to
nurture the next
generation.
Rejectivity tendency to
focus on self
and not care for
others
Overextension
- tendency to
focus on others,
ends up
neglecting self ;
feelings of
burnout
Late Adulthood
Ego-Integrity vs.
Despair
65 years and
above
“Did I live a
meaningful life?”
Wisdom accepts that life
is meaningful
even with the
mistakes that
they had to face
Disdain feelings of
regret and
contempt
Presumption tendency to
think that they
have achieved
wisdom despite
not having deep
and true
self-reflection