8 Stages Of Development According To Erik Erikson

Erik Erikson was an American psychoanalyst who developed a widely accepted theory of personality development.

We all go through crises in our lives, and we get used to seeing them as something negative. But for Erik Erikson, crises were necessary processes that drive evolution and change. These situations help us rise above situations, grow, and learn more about ourselves. Erik Erikson believed that the journey of life is made of eight stages or rounds, each marked by a specific conflict.

He said people are constantly changing and constantly gaining new knowledge and experiences in their lives. If this were not the case, we would be stuck at some stage in our development. Some people refuse to mature, while others are doomed to grow up prematurely. This depends mainly on the environment in which they grow.

Stages of Erikson’s development

These are the eight stages of development, according to Erik Erikson:

1. Basic confidence / insecurity (0-1 years)

Newborns form an addictive relationship, especially with their mothers. With their mother, their needs are fully met. Such care slowly ensures that they learn and develop trust, as long as their basic needs are constantly taken care of.

As their senses develop, they begin to recognize their environment as familiar. Then they begin to venture outward, and their first great achievement is not to feel anxiety when the mother is gone, that is, to overcome the fear of rejection. Otherwise, they will grow skeptical and distrustful.

2. Independence / shame (1-3 years)

During this stage, the child develops autonomy by moving from one place to another. Being left behind and crying is a way for them to try to get what they want. If the environment does not fully match what the child needs, he or she begins to doubt himself or herself and is afraid to take the initiative.

A child’s shame should be expressed as a desire to be invisible, to hide their growth, as teasing and crying, or as other expressions of mental overload. External control should be strong and reassuring so that they can develop their autonomy.

3. Initiative / guilt (3-6 years)

If anything stands out from this stage, it is the child’s initiative. Especially as they play, they find the most special roles and fulfill them. The child must recognize and reflect his or her own role in the world. Initiative at this age means planning their own role, which they then carry out.

Competition and jealousy also emerge at this stage. The child wants to be treated as something special, and they resist when the mother focuses on something else. If they do not receive relatively privileged treatment, they will feel guilty and anxious.

4. Diligence / inferiority (6 years – adolescence)

During this time, the child begins schooling. Regardless of whether he feels satisfied or dissatisfied with it, the child begins to recognize what he is doing in this environment. He is in a situation where he can gain new knowledge and abilities, in other words, become productive.

Our culture has developed highly specialized roles that has made our society more complex and limits personal initiative. The risk at this point is that if the child doesn’t get enough recognition, he or she will start to feel inadequate, which can lead to feelings of inferiority.

5. Identity / role fragmentation (adolescence)

This phase is characterized as a period when they begin to doubt everything they once believed in, meaning all the knowledge, abilities, and experiences they have accumulated so far. This is due to all the biological changes in their body and the personality crisis this causes.

Young people are worried about their image and weigh in the constant struggles over what they have been and what they will be in the near future. They are confused about their identity and become idealistic and very vulnerable to influence. If they go through this stage in the right way, they will be able to form a stable personality. If that doesn’t happen, they’re trying to be something they’re not.

6. Proximity / isolation

This stage comes when a young adult is in a situation where he or she should make professional, emotional, or political commitments while sacrificing something for this. If they are unable to establish these bonds with the world without fear, they are in danger of experiencing isolation.

This is the stage where decisions and challenges help them strike a balance. This is also the stage when their perceptions of work, friendship, and family are strengthened. Basically, they take a clear step towards adulthood at this point.

7. Productivity / stagnation

Erikson defined productivity as a desire at a later age to lay the groundwork and guide future generations. When this does not happen, the process of personal stagnation begins and is accompanied by a feeling of not following the next stage, that they have no effect on the future.

8. Self integrity / despair

The final stage of life can be either calm and serene, or full of anxiety and restlessness. It all depends on how we have resolved the previous steps. As an old person, one should be able to make a wise assessment of one’s life in which recognizing reality and understanding the world take precedence.

We will experience integrity at this stage if we are able to combine reflection with our experiences. If we have any unresolved conflicts or stages that we never got over, we usually develop a deep illness, suffering, and fear of death.