Like Freud, personality
develops in stages
 Focuses on social
experiences across the
life span
 Development of ego
identity
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 Conscious sense of self
we develop through
social interaction
Each stage is
concerned with being
competent in an area
 Handle well=mastery
 Handle poorly =
inadequacy
 Each stage has a
conflict that serves as a
turning point in
development
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Develop a
psychological quality
or failing to develop
that quality
 Potential for growth
and failure is high
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Born in Germany in 1902.
In grammar school, he was
teased for being Jewish.
He did not feel comfortable
(at a very early age) as a
German or a Jew.
This feeling was a basis for
his later theory of “identity
crisis”
In 1920’s, he met Sigmund
Freud’s daughter (Anna) and
studied under her in Vienna.
Moved to U.S. in 1933 and
taught at Yale, Harvard, and
UCal at Berkeley.
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Trust vs. Mistrust
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
Initiative vs. Guilt
Industry vs. Inferiority
Identity vs. Confusion
Intimacy vs. Isolation
Generativity vs. Stagnation
Integrity vs. Despair
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Fundamental stage
Infants are dependent:
need to develop trust
Based on dependability
& quality of caregivers
If develops trust: safe
and secure
Failure: fear and a belief
that the world is
inconsistent and
unpredictable
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Focused on children
developing a greater sense of
personal control
Toilet training was a vital part
of process
Learning to control one’s
body function leads to sense
of control and independence
Control over food, toys, and
clothes
Success: secure and confident
Failure: inadequacy and selfdoubt
Build self-esteem and
autonomy as we gain control
Develop will
Children begin to
assert their power and
control
 Play and social
interaction
 Successful: capable
and able to lead others
 Failure: sense of guilt,
self-doubt, and lack of
initiative
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Through social
interactions: sense of pride
in accomplishments and
abilities
Encouraged and
commended by parents
and teachers: develop a
feeling of competence and
belief in their skills
Little or no encouragement
from parents, teachers,
and peers: doubt ability to
succeed
Industry: accomplishing
new skills and knowledge
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Exploring independence,
developing sense of self
Receive proper
encouragement and
reinforcement through
personal exploration: strong
sense of self and a feeling of
independence and control
Unsure of beliefs and desires=
insecure and confused about
themselves and future
Up to this point: development
is based upon what is done to
us
Here on out is what we do!
 Social interaction, moral issues
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Our task is to discover who we are as
individuals separate from our family of origin
and as members of a wider society.
And if we are unsuccessful in navigating this
stage, we will experience role confusion and
upheaval.
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A significant task for us is to establish a
philosophy of life and in this process we tend to
think in terms of ideals, which are conflict free,
rather than reality, which is not.
The problem is that we don't have much
experience and find it easy to substitute ideals
for experience. However, we can also develop
strong devotion to friends and causes.
It is no surprise that our most significant
relationships are with peer groups.
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Seek companions and
love
Attempt to find mutually
satisfying relationships
through marriage and
friends
Start a family
Successful: intimacy on a
deep level
Failure: isolation and
distance from others , if
no satisfying
relationships our world
shrinks
Continue to build our lives
Focus on career and family
Success: feel like they are
contributing to the world
by being active in their
home and community
 Fail: unproductive and
uninvolved, self-absorbed
and stagnate
 Creative and meaningful
work
 Children leave home, midlife crisis, new meanings
and purposes
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Much of life is preparing for the
middle adulthood stage and the
last stage is recovering from it
Reflecting back on life
Perhaps that is because as older
adults we can often look back on
our lives with happiness and are
content, feeling fulfilled with a
deep sense that life has
meaning and we've made a
contribution to life, a feeling
Erikson calls integrity.
On the other hand, some adults
may reach this stage and
despair at their experiences and
perceived failures.