1. Psychology of Personality
Erik Erikson
Psychology of Personality

2. Who is Erik Erikson German born (June 15, 1902)
Studied Physiology focusing on child development
Worked with Anna Freud (daughter of Sigmund Freud)
Adaptation of Freud’s theory of identity
Famous for the eight stage model of development and concept of identity crisis.
Believed lives were legacies

3. Stage Theory of Identity Development
Run over the course of a lifetime
Touch on biological, social, situational, and personal influences
Each stage is marked by crisis
Child must “adaptively” or “maladaptively” cope with the conflict
Respond adaptively: acquire strengths needed for next developmental stage
Respond maladaptively: less likely to be able to adapt to later problems
Virtue: Motivating characteristics and beliefs, which are a product of successful resolution of each crisis
Stage Theory of Identity Development

4. Stage one: Trust v Mistrust
Age: approx. birth-1 year old
Key determinant is the quality of the parent-child relationship (attachment!)
Caregiver meets needs: trustcurious, social, and popular later in life
Caregiver does not meet needs: no trust
Virtue: Hope
Belief our desires will be satisfied
Confidence
In old age: appreciation for interdependence

5. Stage Two: Autonomy v. Shame
Ages: 1-3 years old
Big idea is self-control versus a loss of self esteem (times with potty training)
Self-control stems from giving the child choice
Lack of independence leads to self-doubt and feelings of shame when dealing with others
Virtue: Will
The determination to chose and complete tasks within the demands of society

6. Stage Three: Initiative v. Guilt
Age: approx. 3-5
Big idea is establishing power
Child expresses initiative in participating in activities
If child is allowed to act on this initiative then there is success
If parents punish child for his initiative then he develops feelings of guilt that follow self-directed behavior
Virtue: Purpose
Courage to envision and achieve goals

7. Stage four: Industry v. Inferiority
Big question: “How can I be good?”
Prepares individuals to be an adult through school and community service.
Foundations: cognitive ability!
Without adult support, child feels inadequate and inferior
Virtue: Competence
Ability to use skill and intelligence to pursue and complete complex tasks

8. Stage Five: Identity v. Role Confusion
Age: approx (may begin later and last longer)
Big question: “Who am I?”
Times with puberty and physical changes (who am I physically)
Prerequisites
Trust (faith in others)
Autonomy (faith in yourself)
Initiative (ability to play)
Industry (ability to work)

9. Identity v. Role Confusion
Many identitiesone final identity
Societal influence?
Role of imagination?
Role of ethnicity?
True crisis and sense of confusion
Virtue: Fidelity
Sincerity, genuineness, sense of duty
Success=competent and confident adult
Greater cognitive and emotional functioning in college students

10. Identity Crisis Achievement: All good! Explored and found myself
Examples?
Moratorium: All okay! Currently exploring, but still unfound
Foreclosure: No exploration, but committed to an identity
Diffusion: Ut-oh. No crisis or commitment

11. Stage Six: Intimacy v. Isolation
Age: approx
Asks whether or not to receive love
Requires self disclosure and surrender
Goal: successful and committed relationships
Women tend to be more successful
Failure=social isolation
Virtue: love
Devotion in shared identities

12. Intimacy Statuses Intimate-committed and equal
Identity: achievement
Merger-committed and dominating
Identity: foreclosure
Preintimate-contact and no commitment
Identity: mixed
Stereotype-superficial contact
Isolate-little contact
Identity: isolated (applies to males only)

13. Stage Seven: Generativity v. Stagnation
Age: approx
Generativity=active involvement in preparing the next generation
Big Question: Can I produce something and contribute to society or stay complacent?
Biological, parental, technical, cultural
Ex. Go back to school, new job, raise kids
Success correlated with extraversion and openness
By mid-50s, 56% of men are generative
Virtue: Care
Concern for others
Need to teach others

14. Generativity v. Stagnation
Predictors
Warm family environment
Absence of parental discipline problems
Affection
Mentor relationships
Correlations
Happiness and increased self-esteem
Decreased neuroticism
Authoritative parents
Community involvement

15. Generativity v. Stagnation Contemporary changes
Contraceptive Revolution: fewer children/generative opportunities
Longer life expectancy: kids (and generativity) come later
Generational Segregation: nuclear family separated from extended families
Childfree Years: empty next syndrome; identity comes from parenting

16. Stage Eight: Ego Integrity v. Despair
Age: approx. 55+
Big question: are you satisfied with your life?
Integrity=satisfaction
Despair=anger, bitterness; loss of dignity and control
Lack of acceptance, fear of death
Requires life review and creation of story
Reminiscing doesn’t count as life review
Emphasis on acceptance
Virtue: wisdom
Detached satisfaction with life

17. Stage Eight Findings Women review more
Associated with generativity and openness
Negative life events encourage more review

18. Criticism of Erikson Ambiguous terms and concepts Lack of precision
Some terms are not easily measured empirically
Gender
Some say the experiences apply more to males than females
Identity Crisis
Some say it only applies to those who are affluent