Among the theories in our lesson, I was interested with Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial
Development. Life is a series of lessons and challenges which help us to grow and become the
person we are now. Erikson's theory try to help us understand why and I believed the theory is
helpful for studying child development as well as adults. It occurs in all people so it means it is
genetically inevitable in shaping human development. The word “psychosocial” comes from the
words psychological (mind) and social (relationships). Erikson’s theory focused on nurture and
experience, how our personality and behaviour is affected after birth not before.
Moreover, Erikson's psychosocial theory mainly asserts eight psychosocial crisis stages people
experienced throughout their lifespan which significantly affects own development and
personality. A person passes these stages that build on each other, they are interdependent
which means the effects of the earlier stages will be carried on as the person goes forward with
his life. At each stage we face a crisis and by resolving the crisis, we develop psychological
strengths or character traits.
Listed below are the stages divided into age groups with their corresponding psychosocial crisis:
1. For Ages 0-1: Trust versus Mistrust
The little one is dependent on the care of mother. The crisis of trust and mistrust will be
determined depending on how physical care and love are given by the mother. If the current
needs of food, warmth, comfort can be given by the mother, and then the infant will develop
trust, if not, then the opposite.
2. For Ages 2-3: Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt
The main task in this stage is to resolve the issue of autonomy vs. shame and doubt by working
to establish independence. Toddlers developed self-control and self-confidence to think and act
for oneself. They begin to show clear preferences of their environment, such as food, toys, and
clothing. If denied the opportunity to act on their environment, they may begin to doubt their
abilities, which could lead to low self-esteem and feelings of shame
3. For Ages 3-6: Initiative versus Guilt
This stage is preschool years where a child interacts socially and plays with others, and they
learn that they can take the initiative and control what happens. Initiative is a sense of ambition
and responsibility that occurs when parents allow a child to explore within limits and then
support the child’s choice. This stage also develops the child’s self-confidence and learns to
enjoy having a sense of purpose. Those children who are unsuccessful at this stage, like over
controlling parents that prevents them interacting with others and be creative may develop
feelings of guilt and lack of ambition.
4. For Ages 7-12: Industry versus Inferiority
Industry here refers to purposeful or meaningful activity. It is the development of competence
and skills of a child and is a crucial aspect of school experience. This stage is when the child
succeeds, they’ll feel industrious and believe they can set goals and reach them. However, if
children have consistent negative experiences at home or feel that society is too demanding,
they may develop feelings of inferiority. Engaging with others and using tools or technology are
also important aspects of this stage.
5. For Ages 12-18: Identity versus Identity Diffusion/Role Confusion
This is the adolescent stage. At this psychosocial development stage, the child faces
the challenge of developing a sense of self. They form their identity by examining their beliefs,
goals, and values. Adolescents struggle with questions such as “Who am I?” and “What do I
want to do with my life?” alongside with the development or changes of their bodies.
Adolescents who successfully weather this crisis will come away with a strong sense of identity
and are able to remain true to their beliefs and values in the face of problems. But when
adolescents don’t search for their identity, they may not develop a strong sense of self and
won’t have a clear picture of their future.
6. For 20s: Intimacy versus Isolation
This is the stage where a person will invest in commitment to others, the psychosocial challenge
to build long-term loving relationships. This refers to sexual mutuality, the giving and receiving of
physical and emotional connection, support, love, comfort, trust, among other things that would
typically associate with healthy adult relationships conducive to mating and reproduction.
Isolation conversely means being and feeling excluded from those things and is characterised
by feelings of loneliness, alienation, social withdrawal or non-participation.
7. For 20s to 50: Generativity versus Stagnation
This stage refers to person engagement in meaningful and productive work which contributes
positively to society. This is characterized by a need to give to others for example raising your
children and contributing to community charities and events. Those who do not master this task
may experience stagnation and feel as though they are not leaving a mark on the world in a
meaningful way. They may also have little connection with others and little interest in
productivity and self-improvement.
8. For Ages 50 and Beyond: Integrity versus Despair
This is the stage of reflection when the pace of life slows down; people look back on their lives
to assess what they’ve achieved or not. They self-reflect on their lives and feel either a sense of
satisfaction or a sense of failure. People who feel proud of their accomplishments feel a sense
of integrity, and they can look back on their lives with few regrets. Despair represents the
opposite disposition: feelings of wasted opportunities, regrets, wishing to be able to turn back
the clock and have a second chance.
