5: Erik H. Erikson

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We develop through crisis: Modern psychoanalysis - Erik Homburger Erikson
Erik H. Erikson (1902-1992) a German born American psychologist took his starting point in Freud's theory and developed it further. He emphasized more than Freud the dialectics between the child and its surroundings. In one of his most famous books, “Childhood and Society”, he develops eigth stages of development, each confronting the individual with its own psycho-social demands, which continues through the life.

The personal development takes place through a series of crises that the individual must solve to enter the next stage.

Erikson’s famous stages of psychosocial development are:

Stage	Main conflict	Age	Outcome
1st stage	Basic Trust vs. Mistrust	Birth – 1 year	Hopeful attitude
2nd	Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt	1 – 3 years	Will
3rd	Initiative vs. Guilt	3 – 6 years	Purpose in life
4th	Industry vs. Inferiority	6 – 12 years	Competence
5th	Identity vs. Role Confusion	Adolescence	Identity
6th	Intimacy vs. Isolation	Early adulthood	Love
7th	Generativity vs. Stagnation	Middle adulthood	Generativity (Parenthood)
8th	Integrity vs. Despair	Late adulthood	Wisdom

1. Read the article “Psychoanalytic theories, Erikson” which you find under the entry “personality” in Britannica.com.

2. Read the article “Erik H Erikson” which you find under the entry “Erik H Erikson” in Britannica.com.

3. Write a page where you exemplify the development in the 8 different stages - from your own experiences, or from people you know.
Do you think the theory is useful?

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