Erikson's Psychosocial Development

Erik Erikson:
Psychosocial development
Erik Erikson
“Father of Psychosocial Development”
• Erik Erikson was born in Frankfurt,

Germany, in 1902. After meeting
Anna Freud while working in
Vienna, Erikson decided to pursue
the field of psychoanalysis. He
studied child development at the
Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute
through the Montessori method,
which focused on psychosexual and
developmental stages.
Psychosocial Development Theory
• One of the best-known theories of personality in psychology.
• Based on eight stages of development.
• Erikson’s theory is based on the idea that development through life is a
series of stages which are each defined by a crisis or challenge.
• The early stages provide the foundations for later stages. So, Erikson
says that if a child does not resolve a crisis in a particular stage, they
will have problems in later stages.
The Stages are as follows:
Stage 1 – Oral Sensory

Stage 2 – Muscular-Anal
Stage 3 – Locomotor
Stage 4 – Latency
Stage 5 – Adolescence
Stage 6 – Young Adulthood
Stage 7 – Middle Adulthood
Stage 8 - Maturity
Stage 1: Oral Sensory (Trust vs. Mistrust)
• Birth to 1 year (infancy)

• Basic conflict is trust vs. mistrust
• The important event is feeding, and the important relationship
is with the mother.
• The infant must develop a loving, trusting relationship with the
mother/caregiver through feeding, teething and comforting.
• Failure to resolve this conflict can lead to sensory distortion,
and withdrawal.
Psychosocial Crisis: Trust vs. Mistrust
• This stage is all about fulfilling needs. The baby needs to

trust the world around them to take care of their needs. If
they are hungry, they need to develop trust that they will be
fed. If they are not fed, or their diaper is left dirty. They may
develop a mistrust in the outside world. This sense of trust of
mistrust can affect us throughout the rest of our lives.
Maladaptation/Malignancy
• Sensory Maladjustment:
Overly trusting, even gullible, this person cannot believe anyone would
mean them harm, and will use all the defenses at their command to find
an explanation or excuse for the person who did him wrong.
• Withdrawal:
Characterized by depression, paranoia, and possibly psychosis.
Virtue
• If the proper balance is achieved,

the child will develop the virtue of HOPE.
Stage 2: Muscular-Anal (Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt)
• Age 1-3 years old (Toddler)

• Basic conflict is autonomy vs. shame/doubt
• The important event is toilet training, and the important relationship is
with the parents.
• The child’s energy is directed towards mastering physical skill such as
walking, grasping and muscular control.
• The child learns self control but may develop shame, doubt,
impulsivity or compulsion if not handled well.
Psychosocial Crisis: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
• Autonomy means being your own boss. Here a toddler tries

to control their own body by toilet training and their
environment, by always saying “No!!”. Sometimes they do
poopy in their pants or get yelled at by their parents, causing
shame and doubt in their own abilities. If we learn how to
control ourselves in reasonable ways, we develop a healthy
will. We are then able to face the later challenges of life.
• Impulsiveness:
A sort of shameless willfulness that leads you, in a later childhood and
even adulthood, to jump into things without proper consideration of
your abilities.
• Compulsiveness:
Feels as if their entire being rides on everything they do, and so
everything must be done perfectly.
Virtue
• If you get the proper, positive balance of

autonomy and shame and doubt, you will
develop the virtue of willpower or
determination.
Stage 3: Locomotor (Initiative vs. Guilt)
• Age 3-6 years old (preschool)

• Basic conflict is initiative vs. guilt
• The important event is independence, and the important relationship is
family.
• The child continues to become more assertive in exploration,
discovery, adventure and play.
• The child may show too much force in this stage causing feelings of
guilt.
• Failure to resolve this conflict can lead to ruthlessness and inhibition.
Psychosocial Crisis: Initiative vs. Guilt
• Here the keyword in a child’s life changes from “No!!” to
“WHY??”. In this stage, children want to understand the
world and they ask too may darn questions. If their initiative
in questioning the world is encouraged, then they will feel
comfortable with expressing their curiosity throughout the
rest of their life. If we discourage them and tell them to shut
up, then they will feel guilty about their questioning and
avoid being inquisitive later.
• Ruthlessness:
To be heartless or unfeeling or be “without mercy”.
• Inhibition:
The inhibited person will not try things because “nothing
ventured, nothing lost” and particularly, nothing to feel guilty
about.
Virtue
•A good balance leads to the psychosocial

strengths of purpose.
Stage 4: Latency (Industry vs. Inferiority)
• Age 6-12 years old (school age)

• The basic conflict in this stage is industry vs. inferiority
• The important event is school, and the important relationships are
teachers, friends and neighborhood.
• The child must learn to deal with new skills and develop a sense of
achievement and accomplishment.
• Failure to do so can create a sense of inferiority, failure and
incompetence
Psychosocial Crisis: Industry vs. Inferiority
• This is where most children begin formal education (what we

call school). For the first time children are being formally
evaluated. If a child raises their hand in class and answers a
question correctly, then he/she will feel industrious
(competent). If he/she tries to answer a question but stutters
to get but the wrong answer, and other students all start
making fun of his/her speech impediment, then the child will
feel inferior.
• Narrow Virtuosity:
We see this in children who aren’t allowed to “be children” the ones that
parents or teachers push into one area of competence, without allowing
the development of broader interests.
• Inertia:
This includes all of us who suffer from the “inferiority complexes”
Alfred Adler talked about.
Virtue
• A happier thing is to develop the right balance of
industry and inferiority– that is, mostly industry
with just a touch of inferiority to keep us sensibly
humble. Then we have the virtue called
competency.
Stage 5: Adolescence (Identity vs. Role Confusion)
• Age 12-20 years old (adolescent)

• The basic conflict is identity vs. role confusion
• The important event is development of peer relationships and the
important relationships are peers, groups and social influences.
• The teenager must achieve a sense of identity in occupation, sex roles,
politics and religion. In addition, they must resolve their identity and
direction.
• Failure to make these resolutions can lead to the repression of aspects
of the individual for the sake of others (Fanaticism)
Psychosocial Crisis: Identity vs. Role Confusion
• In adolescence, Erikson believed that a teenager's main social

need is to discover his or her social identity. While searching
for your identity, you may try out different roles, like trying
to fit into various social groups, experimenting with drugs or
sex or just changing your wardrobe. You should be trying to
find a stable sense of self now, or Erikson believed you may
have an identity crisis later.
• Fanaticism:
Believes that his way is the only way.
• Repudiation:
They reject their membership in the world of adults and
even more, they reject their needs for an identity.
Virtue
• If you successfully negotiate this stage, you
will have the virtue Erikson called Fidelity.
Stage 6: Young Adulthood (Intimacy vs. Isolation)
• Age 20-40 years

• The basic conflict in young adulthood is intimacy vs. isolation
• The important event is parenting, and the important relationships are
lovers, friends and work connections.
• In this stage, the individual must develop intimate relationships
through work and social life.
• Failure to make such connections can lead to promiscuity, exclusivity
and isolation.
Psychosocial Crisis: Intimacy vs. Isolation
• Young adults (early 20’s into early 30’s) are trying to

balance their career efforts (work, school or self-
improvement) with the need to be in an intimate
relationship with another person. How much time
should I spend looking for a relationship? What if I
don’t find anybody? What if I am all alone for the rest
of my life?
• Promiscuity:
Referring particularly to the tendency to become intimate too
freely, too easily and without any depth to your intimacy.
• Exclusion:
Which refers to the tendency to isolate oneslf from love,
friendship, community and to develop a certain hatefulness in
compensation.
Virtue
• If you will successfully negotiate this stage, you
will instead carry with .you for the rest of your
life the virtue or psychosocial strength Erikson
calls Love.
Stage 7: Middle Adulthood (Generativity vs. Stagnation)
• Age 40-65 years

• The basic conflict is generativity vs. stagnation
• The important event is parenting, and the important relationships are
with children and community.
• The stage is based on the idea that each adult must find a way to
satisfy, support and contribute to the next generation. It is often
thought of as giving back.
• Failure to resolve this stage can lead to overextension or rejectivity.
Psychosocial Crisis: Generativity vs. Stagnation
• Erikson believed that by the time we reach our mid 30’s to

mid 50’s we start to really examine our lives and see if it is
going the way we planned it or did it take a drastic turn. This
is where some people take drastic steps and change their
lives. You could see a lot of late divorces or extreme changes
in clothes or cars. We call this experience a mid life crisis.
• Overextension:
Illustrates the problem. Some people try to be so generative that they no
longer allow time for themselves, for rest and relaxation.
• Rejectivity:
Too little generativity and too much stagnation and you are no longer
participating in or contributing to society.
Virtue
• But if you are successful at this stage, you

will have a capacity for caring that will
serve you through the rest of your life.
Stage 8: Maturity (Integrity vs. Despair)
• Age 65-death
• The basic conflict is ego integrity vs. despair
• The important event is reflection on and acceptance of the
individual’s life.
• The individual is creating meaning and purpose of one’s life
and reflecting on life achievements.
• Failure to resolve this conflict can create feelings of disdain
and despair.
Psychosocial Crisis: Integrity vs. Despair
• Towards the end of our lives we look back and evaluate

ourselves. Did we live a good life? Leave behind a legacy of
friends or family? Or did we waste our time playing madden
2023 on PlayStation 7? If we feel like there were many lost
opportunities along the way, we may fall into despair. I like
to use this stage to try to shape my life now- you should too.
• Presumption:
This is what happens when a person “presumes” ego integrity
without actually facing the difficulties of old age.
• Disdain:
By which Erikson means a contempt of life, one’s own or
anyone’s.
Virtue
• Someone who approaches death without fear

has the strength Erikson calls wisdom.
Presented by:
• Casas, Mary Grace
• Juacalla, Renalou Johanna Nicole
• Leyte, Jay Ann
• Oriniday, Liza Mae
Thank You! 

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Erik Erikson:

• Erik Erikson was born in Frankfurt,

Stage 1 – Oral Sensory

• Birth to 1 year (infancy)

• This stage is all about fulfilling needs. The baby needs to

• If the proper balance is achieved,

• Age 1-3 years old (Toddler)

• Autonomy means being your own boss. Here a toddler tries

• If you get the proper, positive balance of

• Age 3-6 years old (preschool)

•A good balance leads to the psychosocial

• Age 6-12 years old (school age)

• This is where most children begin formal education (what we

• Age 12-20 years old (adolescent)

• In adolescence, Erikson believed that a teenager's main social

• Age 20-40 years

• Young adults (early 20’s into early 30’s) are trying to

• Age 40-65 years

• Erikson believed that by the time we reach our mid 30’s to

• But if you are successful at this stage, you

• Towards the end of our lives we look back and evaluate

• Someone who approaches death without fear

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