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Erik Erikson (1902 – 1994) said we develop in psychosocial stages. Erikson emphasized developmental change through out the human life span. In Erikson’s theory, eight stages of development unfold as we go through the life span. Each stage consists of a crisis that must be faced. According to Erikson, this crisis is not a catastrophe but a turning point of increased vulnerability and enhanced potential. The more an individual resolves the crisis successfully, the healthier development will be.
Erikson recognised the basic notions of Freudian theory, but believed that Freud misjudged some important dimensions of human development. Erikson said that humans develop through their lifespan, while Freud said our personality is shaped by five. Erikson developed eight psychosocial stages that humans encounter throughout their life. The stages are Trust vs. Mistrust, Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt, Initiative vs. Guilt, Industry vs. Inferiority, Identity vs. Inferiority, Identity vs. Role Confusion, Intimacy vs. Isolation, Generativity vs. Stagnation, and Integrity vs. Despair.
Each stage has a certain optimal time as well. It is no use trying to rush children into adulthood, as is co
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If a stage is managed well, we carry away a certain virtue or psychosocial strength which will help us through the rest of the stages of our lives. The child will develop the feeling that the world is a safe place, and people are reliable and loving.
If the proper balance is achieved the child will develop the virtue of HOPE, Even when things seem to be going wrong he will have optimism.
Interaction between Generations
The influence of parents on child’s development has always been known. With encouragement from parents and teachers, he begins to work hard to acquire new skills and learns to enjoy success.
Erikson has found that the general pattern does in fact hold across cultures and times, and most of us find it quite familiar. The integration of all the knowledge of himself and the external world helps the adolescent develop a unified self-image. Guilt – 3 to 6 years
The task of the preschooler is to learn initiative without to much guilt. Shame/Doubt Toilet training The child's energies are directed toward the development of physical skills, including walking, grasping, and rectal sphincter control. It assures the person of not having become redundant. Stagnation – 40 to 65 years
The psychosocial task in this period involves striking a balance between generativity and stagnation. Stagnation refers to the self-absorption, which makes the person non-productive. Due to physical decline, the concerns of death no longer remain distant. A person prefers isolation when he is not assured of an independent identity.
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