Personal application of Erikson's eight psychosocial development stages

Erik Erikson

Erik Eriksson

Erik Erikson theorized that there were eight psychosocial stages that took into account the struggles during different periods of life. These include: Trust v. Mistrust, Autonomy v. Shame and Doubt, Initiative v. Guilt, Industry v. Inferiority, Identity v. Role Confusion, Intimacy v. Isolation, Generativity v. Stagnation, and Integrity v. Despair. This paper describes the ways in which I have accomplished each of Erikson's eight stages.

Erik Erikson

Erik Erikson theorized that there were eight psychosocial stages that took into account the struggles during different periods of life. These include: Trust v. Mistrust, Autonomy v. Shame and Doubt, Initiative v. Guilt, Industry v. Inferiority, Identity v. Role Confusion, Intimacy v. Isolation, Generativity v. Stagnation, and Integrity v. Despair. This paper describes the ways in which I have accomplished each of Erikson's eight stages.

Trust v. Mistrust

Erikson's first stage of psychosocial development is Trust v. Mistrust. This stage occurs in infancy. For me, I developed a sense of security thanks to my parents' care giving, during this early stage of my life. Like most babies, I was fed and clothed and changed. My parents made sure I was kept warm and comfortable. When I cried, they addressed my needs. To my knowledge, I was never abused nor neglected. Most importantly, my entire family showed me they loved me by holding me and being affectionate. I learned I could trust my family to take care of me when I needed help, and this is still true today.

Autonomy v. Shame and Doubt

Erikson's second stage of Autonomy v. Shame and Doubt, for me, was fulfilled when I was a little over three years old and finally was toilet trained. The most important facet in this stage is a child being able to begin to control their own physical being. This gives them a sense of autonomy that then helps with the third stage of development. Of course, like all children, I had times of failure -- "accidents," and this, as Erikson notes, leads to shame and doubt. However, with my parents' encouragement, I was successful.

Initiative v. Guilt

In Erikson's Initiative v. Guilt stage of psychosocial development, the child takes their newly discovered autonomy and begins to use it on their environment. I remember this time of my life was probably one of the more frustrating times for my parents. Whenever I'd go somewhere with my family, instead of staying right where they were, I was very prone to wandering off. It didn't matter if it was a park, a grocery store, the mall, or the library. I just wanted to explore what was out there, in the great, big world. I could not control this impulse to explore. Of course, this would drive my mother crazy and when she'd scold me for running off, I'd feel guilty for making her so upset. I had to learn that exploring was OK, as long as I told someone where I was going, and that it was within the limits they thought was appropriate, for a preschooler.

Identity v. Role Confusion

Erikson's fifth stage of psychosocial development, Identity v. Role Confusion, is one I remember very clearly. As a typical teenager, I struggled to "find myself." There were so many identities out there to choose from, and it seemed like what was "cool" changed from week-to-week. Peer pressure also factored into what I thought was the type of person I should be. I'm sure my parents were worried about my ever-changing modes of dress, hairstyles, even the music I was listening to throughout my teenage years. However, eventually, I developed a sense of who I was (which was nothing like the stereotypes of people I and my friends had been trying to be) and this personal identity seems to have brought a sense of balance in my life. Knowing who I am has helped with the next stage of development on Erikson's list.

Intimacy v. Isolation

Erikson's Intimacy v. Isolation stage is the stage I'm just entering into now, in my life. As a twenty-year-old college student, dating is becoming increasingly important. I've started to think about with who I'd like to spend the rest of my life -- what type of person I think would be best-suited to my personality and my needs. Developing these intimate relationships are a critical factor for this stage of psychosocial development. Each successful one helps build an experience base that allows the next one to be even stronger. Of course, I've also experienced the failure of these types of relationships and the associated isolation and loneliness that comes with this failure. However, I try to learn from the mistakes I've encountered and not repeat them in future relationships.

Generativity v. Stagnation

In Erikson's second to last stage of psychosocial development, Generativity v. Stagnation, this is the stage where adults work towards creating things that last beyond their individual life. Having children is a prime example of this stage, as well as professional accomplishments and involvement in philanthropic organizations. All of these activities give the person a sense of doing things that they'll be remembered for after they've died. Although personally I'm not ready to have children, and I will have to wait until my education is completed to make history making accomplishments in my career, I have thought about these things. I do see their value and am looking forward to moving into that stage of my life.

Integrity v. Despair

Integrity v. Despair is Erikson's last stage. In this stage, older individuals reflect back on their accomplishments and either feel fulfilled or are regretful that they didn't accomplish more. Although I'm not in this stage yet, I can empathize with it. I look back at my high school years very similarly. There are accomplishments I'm proud of, yet there are things that if I had the chance to do it again that I'd do differently. I wish I had been more involved in extracurricular activities. There are also times I wish I had studied harder. I hope that when I do reach this last psychosocial stage, that my accomplishments far outweigh my regrets.

Conclusion

Erikson's eight stages of psychosocial development juxtapose forces in each stage of a person's life. From the Trust v. Mistrust forces of infancy to the Integrity v. Despair forces of our later years in life, each stage is a stepping stone that helps facilitate success in the next stage. So far, I've been quite lucky that I've had the love and support of a good family that has meant my transitions between each stage has been fairly smooth.