CALLP

• Erik Homburger Erikson


  American child psychoanalyst known for his theory on psychosocial development of human beings
• Erikson coined the phrase "identity crisis"
• Erikson


  • Served as a professor at prominent institutions, including Harvard, University of California, Berkeley
  • Credited with being one of the originators of ego psychology, which emphasized the role of the ego as being more than a servant of the id
• Erikson's psychosocial development theory

  Emphasizes the social nature of our development rather than its sexual nature
• Freud believed that personality is shaped only in childhood, Erikson proposed that personality development takes place all through the lifespan
• Erikson's psychosocial theory


  We experience eight stages of development over our lifespan, from infancy through late adulthood
• Psychosocial crisis


  A conflict or task that we need to resolve at each stage of development
• Successful completion of each developmental task

  Results in a sense of competence and a healthy personality
• Failure to master these tasks

  Leads to feelings of inadequacy
• Erikson's eight stages of psychosocial development

  1. Trust vs Mistrust

  2. Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt

  3. Initiative vs Guilt

  4. Industry vs Inferiority

  5. Identity vs Confusion

  6. Intimacy vs Isolation

  7. Generativity vs Stagnation

  8. Integrity vs Despair
• Trust vs Mistrust


  The primary task of the infancy stage (birth to 12 months)
• Trust


  • The basis of our development during infancy
  • Infants are dependent upon their caregivers, so caregivers who are responsive and sensitive to their infant's needs help their baby to develop a sense of trust and see the world as a safe, predictable place
• Mistrust


  • Unresponsive caregivers who do not meet their baby's needs can engender feelings of anxiety, fear, and mistrust, leading the baby to see the world as unpredictable
• Infant Feeding

  1. Feeding is a critical activity during the Trust vs Mistrust stage

  2. Trust: When the caregiver consistently responds to the child's hunger cues, providing nourishment sensitively and reliably, the child learns that their needs will be met, helping them feel secure and trusting

  3. Mistrust: If the caregiver is neglectful, inconsistent, or insensitive in feeding, the child may experience discomfort, distress, and hunger, leading to a sense of mistrust
• Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt


  The main task of the toddler stage (ages 1-3 years)
• Toilet Training

  1. Autonomy: When parents approach toilet training in a patient, supportive manner, allowing the child to learn at their own pace, the child may feel a sense of accomplishment and autonomy

  2. Shame and Doubt: If the process is rushed, with too much pressure or anger/disappointment from parents, the child may feel shame and start doubting their abilities
• Initiative vs Guilt


  The main task of the preschool stage (ages 3-6 years)
• Exploration

  1. Developing Initiative: Exploration allows children to assert their power and control over their environment

  2. Learning from Mistakes: Exploration provides crucial learning opportunities, even if efforts lead to mistakes or failures

  3. Building Self-Confidence: When caregivers support and encourage a child's explorations and initiatives, it bolsters their self-confidence
• Industry vs Inferiority


  The main task of the elementary school stage (ages 6-12 years)
• School

  1. Development of Industry: At school, children are given opportunities to learn, achieve, and demonstrate their competencies

  2. Feedback and Reinforcement: Teachers play a crucial role, their feedback can reinforce the child's sense of industry or trigger feelings of inferiority

  3. Building Life Skills: School provides opportunities to develop skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and time management, promoting a sense of industry
• Identity vs Confusion


  The main task of the adolescence stage (ages 12-18 years)
• Social Relationships

  1. Formation of Identity: Social relationships provide a context for adolescents to explore different aspects of their identity

  2. Social Acceptance and Belonging: Feeling accepted and fitting in with peers can significantly affect an adolescent's self-esteem and sense of identity

  3. Experiencing Diversity: Interacting with diverse people allows adolescents to broaden their perspectives, challenge their beliefs, and shape their values
• Intimacy vs Isolation


  The main task of early adulthood (20s through early 40s)
• Success and Failure

  1. Success leads to strong relationships, while failure results in loneliness and isolation

  2. Successful navigation develops the virtue of love, allowing individuals to form deep and committed relationships
• Generativity vs Stagnation


  The main task of middle adulthood (40s to mid-60s)
• Work & Parenthood

  1. Work: Meaningful work provides a sense of productivity and contributing to the world

  2. Parenthood: Raising children provides a sense of generativity, nurturing the next generation and imparting values
• Integrity vs Despair


  The main task of late adulthood (mid-60s to end of life)
• Erikson described ego integrity as "the acceptance of one's one and only life cycle as something that had to be" and later as "a sense of coherence and wholeness"
• Strengths of Erikson's theory

  • Ability to tie together important psychosocial development across the entire lifespan
  • Reconceptualized how the later periods of life are viewed, with middle and late adulthood now considered active and significant times of personal growth
  • Good face validity, many people can relate to the theories through their own experiences