Erik Erikson DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Early Life Born June 15, 1902 in Frankfurt, Germany Originally Erik Homburger After completing high school, he moved to Florence to pursue his interest in art In 1927 became an art teacher at a psychoanalytically enlightened school for children started by Dorothy Burlingham and Anna Freud in Vienna This move changed his life and career

The Beginning He earned a certificate from the Maria Montessori School Afterwards, he embarked on psychoanalytic training at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute This and his Montessori diploma were to be Erikson's only earned academic credentials for his life's work By 1936, he had joined the Institute of Human Relations, part of the department of psychiatry at Yale University

Erikson’s influence Erikson continued to deepen his interest in areas beyond psychoanalysis and to explore connections between psychology and anthropology His ideas though were greatly influenced by Freud, going along with Freud’s (1923) theory regarding the structure and topography of personality However, whereas Freud was an id psychologist, Erikson was an ego psychologist He emphasized the role of culture and society and the conflicts that can take place within the ego itself, whereas Freud emphasized the conflict between the id and the superego

Erikson and the Ego According to Erikson, the ego develops as it successfully resolves crises that are distinctly social in nature These involve establishing a sense of trust in others, developing a sense of identity in society, and helping the next generation prepare for the future Erikson extends on Freudian thoughts by focusing on the adaptive and creative characteristic of the ego, and expanding the notion of the stages of personality development to include the entire lifespan

The Ego continued Erikson proposed a lifespan model of development, taking in five stages up to the age of 18 years and three further stages beyond, well into adulthood Erikson suggests that there is still plenty of room for continued growth and development throughout one’s life He put a great deal of emphasis on the adolescent period, feeling it was a crucial stage for developing a person’s identity Like Freud and many others, Erik Erikson maintained that personality develops in a predetermined order, and builds upon each previous stage. This is called the epigenic principle The outcome of this 'maturation timetable' is a wide and integrated set of life skills and abilities that function together within the autonomous individual. However, instead of focusing on sexual development (like Freud), he was interested in how children socialize and how this affects their sense of self

Psychosocial Stages

Like Freud, Erikson assumes that a crises occurs at each stage of development For Erikson, these crises are of a psychosocial nature because they involve psychological needs of the individual (i.e. psycho) conflicting with the needs of society (i.e. social) According to the theory, successful completion of each stage results in a healthy personality and the acquisition of basic virtues Basic virtues are characteristic strengths which the ego can use to resolve subsequent crises Failure to successfully complete a stage can result in a reduced ability to complete further stages and therefore a more unhealthy personality and sense of self.

Psychosocial Stages Trust vs. Mistrust: 0-1 years of age, most fundamental stage of life. Whether the baby develops basic trust or basic mistrust is not merely a matter of nurture. It depends on the quality of the maternal relationship. The mother carries out and reflects their inner perceptions of trustworthiness, a sense of personal meaning, etc. on the child. If successful in this, the baby develops a sense of trust, which "forms the basis in the child for a sense of identity." Failure to develop this trust will result in a feeling of fear and a sense that the world is inconsistent and unpredictable Autonomy vs. Shame: 1-3 years of age, introduces the concept of autonomy vs. shame and doubt. During this stage the child is trying to master toilet training

Psychosocial Stages Purpose, Initiative vs. Guilt: 3-6 years of age, does the child have the ability to or do things on their own, such as dress him or herself? If "guilty" about making his or her own choices, the child will not function well. Erikson has a positive outlook on this stage, saying that most guilt is quickly compensated by a sense of accomplishment Competence, Industry vs. Inferiority: 6-11 years of age, child comparing self-worth to others (such as in a classroom environment) Child can recognize major disparities in personal abilities relative to other children. Erikson places some emphasis on the teacher, who should ensure that children do not feel inferior Fidelity, Identity vs. Role Confusion: years of age, questioning of self. Who am I, how do I fit in? Where am I going in life? Erikson believes, that if the parents allow the child to explore, they will conclude their own identity. If, however, the parents continually push him/her to conform to their views, the teen will face identity confusion.

Psychosocial Stages Intimacy vs. Isolation: years of age, first stage of adult development. Dating, marriage, family and friendships are important during the stage in their life By successfully forming loving relationships with other people, individuals are able to experience love and intimacy. Those who fail to form lasting relationships may feel isolated and alone Generativity vs. Stagnation: years of age, second stage of adult development. A person is either making progress in their career or treading lightly in their career and unsure if this is what they want to do for the rest of their working lives. Also during this time, a person is enjoying raising their children and participating in activities, that gives them a sense of purpose. If a person is not comfortable with the way their life is progressing, they're usually regretful about the decisions and feel a sense of uselessness

Psychosocial Stages Ego integrity vs. Despair: 65 years of age to death, During this time an individual has reached the last chapter in their life and retirement is approaching or has already taken place. ◦Ego-integrity means the acceptance of life in its fullness: the victories and the defeats, what was accomplished and what was not accomplished. Wisdom is the result of successfully accomplishing this final developmental task. On ego identity versus role confusion—ego identity enables each person to have a sense of individuality, or as Erikson would say, "Ego identity, then, in its subjective aspect, is the awareness of the fact that there is a self-sameness and continuity to the ego's synthesizing methods and a continuity of one's meaning for others”

Major Works Childhood and Society (1950) Young Man Luther. A Study in Psychoanalysis and History (1958) Identity: Youth and Crisis (1968) Gandhi's Truth: On the Origin of Militant Nonviolence (1969) Adulthood (edited book, 1978) Vital Involvement in Old Age (with J.M. Erikson and H. Kivnick, 1986) The Life Cycle Completed (with J.M. Erikson, 1987)

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