Eric Erikson Is a Founding

Eric Erikson is a founding member of developmental psychology. His theories have become a sort of cornerstone, from which many have built basic ideas about human development from infancy to adulthood. His theories surround several rather concrete stages, that if completed allow the individual to move forward to the next stage of development but if not hinder the individual, possibly for a life time in their ability to function through change. The stages are not necessarily dependant upon one another, to complete but life moves forward and if the stage has not been completed, depending on the stage the individual may struggle for a lifetime with such issues as correspond to the stage of development. (Marlowe & Canestri 109-) the eight stages of development according to Erikson are:

Basic trust vs. basic mistrust, as an infant learns to trust that his needs are going to be met by familiar and predictable events or the reverse, where the infant does not have his needs met and may become despondent. (Marlowe & Canestri 108-109) This stage revolves around the oral sensory functioning and roughly corresponds to the ages from birth to 12-18 months. ("Erik Erikson's 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development" (http://web.cortland.edu/andersmd/ERIK/sum.HTML)

2. Autonomy vs. shame and doubt where the child learns to be in control of his or her own body and ability to make decisions and where allowed function somewhat independently from caregivers, Erikson believed that this stage frequently revolved around issues of toilet training and the result of incomplete functioning in this stage is shame and doubt of the individuals ability to do so. (Marlowe & Canestri 109-111) Erikson believed that this stage surrounded muscular anal development and admonishes the use of shame as the main guiding force behind discipline as it will leave the child unable to progress past shame and doubt to autonomy. The stage lasts roughly 18 months to 3 years. ("Erik Erikson's 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development" (http://web.cortland.edu/andersmd/ERIK/sum.HTML)

3. Initiative vs. guilt revolves around the ability of the child to walk and assert his or her independence. In this stage the individual learns to develop independent physical actions, and assert his will. To do so he or she must be assertive and the caregivers must balance external control with the internal ideas of independence that a child learns at this stage. (Marlowe & Canestri 111-112) Locamotion, or walking is the goal of this stage, and all the skills around it that require the individual child to demand personal control over the way his or her body is controlled through censure, if the child is to forceful he or she may feel guilt. This stage last between the age of 3 to 6 years of age. ("Erik Erikson's 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development" (http://web.cortland.edu/andersmd/ERIK/sum.HTML)

4. Industry vs. inferiority is the stage that Erikson believes corresponds with the stage in where children learn to let their own ego guide all their actions and begin to allow impersonal goals, such as the ability to learn and be governed by school or external learning materials. During this stage the child learns to feel either confident or inferior based on external and internal cues of success and/or failure with completing these tasks. (Marlowe & Canestri 112-114) This stage lasts between the ages of 6 years and 12 years of age and is dominated by school. ("Erik Erikson's 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development" (http://web.cortland.edu/andersmd/ERIK/sum.HTML)

5. Identity vs. role confusion, is the stage that corresponds to the ability of an individual to resolve social and personal conflicts with identity, and especially that revolved around sexual identity. This stage dominates the adolescent years as individuals begin to have adult like relationships and conform or reject social roles assigned their gender. As this is the stage at which most children leave the education system it is the last stage discussed in Marlowe and Canestri reading of Erikson. (Marlowe & Canestri 114-116) This role last roughly corresponds with the ages between 12-18 years and revolves around peer relationships and gender roles. ("Erik Erikson's 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development" (http://web.cortland.edu/andersmd/ERIK/sum.HTML)

6. Intimacy vs. isolation, is the stage that roughly corresponds with the ages 19-40 and revolves around the individuals ability to successfully navigate and learn from adult love relationships. ("Erik Erikson's 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development" (http://web.cortland.edu/andersmd/ERIK/sum.HTML)

7. Generativity vs. stagnation, is the stage that roughly corresponds with the ages 40-65 years and revolves around parenting and the ability to satisfy and support the next generation. ("Erik Erikson's 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development" (http://web.cortland.edu/andersmd/ERIK/sum.HTML)