Infancy: Birth to 18 Months
Ego Development Outcome: Trust vs. Mistrust
Basic strength: Drive and Hope
Erikson also referred to infancy as the Oral Sensory Stage (as
anyone might who watches a baby put everything in her mouth) where
the major emphasis is on the mother's positive and loving care for
the child, with a big emphasis on visual contact and touch. If we
pass successfully through this period of life, we will learn to
trust that life is basically okay and have basic confidence in the
future. If we fail to experience trust and are constantly frustrated
because our needs are not met, we may end up with a deep-seated
feeling of worthlessness and a mistrust of the world in general.
Incidentally, many studies of suicides and suicide attempts point
to the importance of the early years in developing the basic belief
that the world is trustworthy and that every individual has a right
to be here.
Not surprisingly, the most significant relationship is with the
maternal parent, or whoever is our most significant and constant
caregiver.
Early Childhood: 18 Months to 3 Years
Ego Development Outcome: Autonomy vs. Shame
Basic Strengths: Self-control, Courage, and Will
During this stage we learn to master skills for ourselves. Not
only do we learn to walk, talk and feed ourselves, we are learning
finer motor development as well as the much appreciated toilet training.
Here we have the opportunity to build self-esteem and autonomy as
we gain more control over our bodies and acquire new skills, learning
right from wrong. And one of our skills during the "Terrible
Two's" is our ability to use the powerful word "NO!"
It may be pain for parents, but it develops important skills of
the will. (See Use of the Will from He Hit Me Back First!)
It is also during this stage, however, that we can be very vulnerable.
If we're shamed in the process of toilet training or in learning
other important skills, we may feel great shame and doubt of our
capabilities and suffer low self-esteem as a result.
The most significant relationships are with parents.
Play Age: 3 to 5 Years
Ego Development Outcome: Initiative vs. Guilt
Basic Strength: Purpose
During this period we experience a desire to copy the adults around
us and take initiative in creating play situations. We make up stories
with Barbie's and Ken's, toy phones and miniature cars, playing
out roles in a trial universe, experimenting with the blueprint
for what we believe it means to be an adult. We also begin to use
that wonderful word for exploring the world—"WHY?"
While Erikson was influenced by Freud, he downplays biological
sexuality in favor of the psychosocial features of conflict between
child and parents. Nevertheless, he said that at this stage we usually
become involved in the classic "Oedipal struggle" and
resolve this struggle through "social role identification."
If we're frustrated over natural desires and goals, we may easily
experience guilt.
The most significant relationship is with the basic family.
School Age: 6 to 12 Years
Ego Development Outcome: Industry vs. Inferiority
Basic Strengths: Method and Competence
During this stage, often called the Latency, we are capable of
learning, creating and accomplishing numerous new skills and knowledge,
thus developing a sense of industry. This is also a very social
stage of development and if we experience unresolved feelings of
inadequacy and inferiority among our peers, we can have serious
problems in terms of competence and self-esteem.
As the world expands a bit, our most significant relationship is
with the school and neighborhood. Parents are no longer the complete
authorities they once were, although they are still important.
This entire section is copied from the following website: http://www.learningplaceonline.com/stages/organize/Erikson.htm
Adolescence: 12 to 18 Years
Ego Development Outcome: Identity vs. Role Confusion
Basic Strengths: Devotion and Fidelity
Up to this stage, according to Erikson, development mostly depends
upon what is done to us. From here on out, development depends primarily
upon what we do. And while adolescence is a stage at which we are
neither a child nor an adult, life is definitely getting more complex
as we attempt to find our own identity, struggle with social interactions,
and grapple with moral issues.
Our task is to discover who we are as individuals separate from
our family of origin and as members of a wider society. Unfortunately
for those around us, in this process many of us go into a period
of withdrawing from responsibilities, which Erikson called a "moratorium."
And if we are unsuccessful in navigating this stage, we will experience
role confusion and upheaval.
A significant task for us is to establish a philosophy of life
and in this process we tend to think in terms of ideals, which are
conflict free, rather than reality, which is not. The problem is
that we don't have much experience and find it easy to substitute
ideals for experience. However, we can also develop strong devotion
to friends and causes.
It is no surprise that our most significant relationships are with
peer groups.
Young adulthood: 18 to 35
Ego Development Outcome: Intimacy and Solidarity vs.
Isolation
Basic Strengths: Affiliation and Love
In the initial stage of being an adult we seek one or more companions
and love. As we try to find mutually satisfying relationships, primarily
through marriage and friends, we generally also begin to start a
family, though this age has been pushed back for many couples who
today don't start their families until their late thirties. If negotiating
this stage is successful, we can experience intimacy on a deep level.
If we're not successful, isolation and distance from others may
occur. And when we don't find it easy to create satisfying relationships,
our world can begin to shrink as, in defense, we can feel superior
to others.
Our significant relationships are with marital partners and friends.
Middle Adulthood: 35 to 55 or 65
Ego Development Outcome: Generativity vs. Self absorption
or Stagnation
Basic Strengths: Production and Care
Now work is most crucial. Erikson observed that middle-age is when
we tend to be occupied with creative and meaningful work and with
issues surrounding our family. Also, middle adulthood is when we
can expect to "be in charge," the role we've longer envied.
The significant task is to perpetuate culture and transmit values
of the culture through the family (taming the kids) and working
to establish a stable environment. Strength comes through care of
others and production of something that contributes to the betterment
of society, which Erikson calls generativity, so when we're in this
stage we often fear inactivity and meaninglessness.
As our children leave home, or our relationships or goals change,
we may be faced with major life changes—the mid-life crisis—and
struggle with finding new meanings and purposes. If we don't get
through this stage successfully, we can become self-absorbed and
stagnate.
Significant relationships are within the workplace, the community
and the family.
Late Adulthood: 55 or 65 to Death
Ego Development Outcome: Integrity vs. Despair
Basic Strengths: Wisdom
Erikson felt that much of life is preparing for the middle adulthood
stage and the last stage is recovering from it. Perhaps that is
because as older adults we can often look back on our lives with
happiness and are content, feeling fulfilled with a deep sense that
life has meaning and we've made a contribution to life, a feeling
Erikson calls integrity. Our strength comes from a wisdom that
the world is very large and we now have a detached concern for the
whole of life, accepting death as the completion of life.
On the other hand, some adults may reach this stage and despair
at their experiences and perceived failures. They may fear death
as they struggle to find a purpose to their lives, wondering "Was
the trip worth it?" Alternatively, they may feel they have
all the answers (not unlike going back to adolescence) and end with
a strong dogmatism that only their view has been correct.
The significant relationship is with all of mankind—"my-kind."
This entire section is copied from the following website: http://www.learningplaceonline.com/stages/organize/Erikson.htm |