Erikson’s stages of psycho social
development
Warm UP
• Forming an identity is a main developmental
focus of adolescence. The following are major
characteristics of adolescence:
– Experimentation
– Rebellion
– “self”-ishness
– Optimism
• Brainstorm situations that demonstrate
healthy behaviors that exhibit those four
characteristics (these help adolescents
develop an identity)
Trust vs. Mistrust
Age
Birth - 18
months
Importa Description
nt Event
Feeding Infants form a
loving, trusting
relationship
with parents;
they also learn
to mistrust
others.
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
Age
18 months - 3
Years
Important
Event
Toilet
Training
Description
Child's energies
are directed toward
physical skills:
walking, grasping,
and toilet training.
The child learns
control along with
a healthy dose of
shame and doubt.
Initiative vs. Guilt
Age
3-6
Years
Important
Event
Playing with
others
Description
Child becomes
more assertive,
takes more
initiative,
becomes more
forceful.
Industry vs. Inferiority
Age
6 - 12 Years
Important
Description
Event
The child must
School
feel competent
while risking a
sense of inferiority
and failure.
Identity vs. Role Confusion
Age
Important
Description
Event
Adolescence Peers
Teens must achieve
self-identity while
deciphering their
roles in occupation,
politics, and
religion. Can
develop negative
identity.
Intimacy vs. Isolation
Age
Young
Adult
Important
Event
Description
Relationships The young adult
must develop
marriage-seeking
relationships while
combating feelings
of isolation. Further
career or get
married?
Generativity vs. Stagnation
Age
Importan
Description
t Event
Middle Adult Parenting Men want to
generate
something (join
a rock band).
They risk
stagnation
(growing old)
Integrity vs. Despair
Age
Importa
nt Event
Late Adult Life
Description
Acceptance of
Reflection one's lifetime
accomplishments
and sense of
fulfillment. Want
control of their
lives.
How does this relate to adolescent
development?
Identity
• One’s sense of self.
• The idea that an adolescent’s
job is to find oneself by
testing various roles.
• Comes from Erik Erikson’s
stages of Psychosocial
development.
Follow up to adolescence identity
development: James Marcia
• Identity status involves crisis and commitment
– Crisis = attempt to choose amongst meaningful
alternatives
– Commitment = personal investment in a task
• There are 4 distinct ways that adolescents
express identity formation:
– Identity achievement: teens arrive at a sense of
identity on their own, after considering options
– Identity diffusion: lacking commitment to any goal
– Moratorium: still in crisis period searching for an
identity but have not come to a conclusion
– Foreclosure: adolescents make a commitment without
experiencing a crisis