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Erikson’s Stage Theory

a) Trust vs. mistrust. The formation of basic trust occurs in the child's relationship with the mother. Care and affection allow child to identify as someone who gives. In this sense, child learns to receive and accept. Trust in the caregiver becomes certainty and “openness”, leading to trust in surroundings. If healthy attachments are formed, optimistic; otherwise, fear, anxiety and suspicion. In adults, trust deterioration and distrust predominance characterize withdrawn individuals when they are upset with themselves or others, especially when regression to psychotic stages exist.

b) Autonomy vs. shame-doubt. Child begins to experience his own will. Impulsive behavior oscillates between docility and resistance, cooperation and opposition. If personal hygiene is learnt, then self-sufficiency; otherwise, a precociously alerted rigid self-consciousness will be the basis of fear, making mistakes, doubt and insecurity.

c) Initiative vs. guilt. Language knowledge improves understanding by asking questions, which allows imagination expansion, to the point of reaching roles based on fantasy (playing). Also, needs and desires need to be moderated without feelings of guilt. Otherwise, blockage, a paralyzing tendency to fixation, codependency, that nullifies capacity.

d) Effort vs. inferiority. Child needs capacity for self-assurance, so actions can be significant to others. During childhood (or pre-adolescence) period, adaptations allow recognition (Fichte and Hegel) by learning, achieving enthusiasm and competence (schooling, sports, etc.). Inferiority risk is related to oedipal conflict, “homeschooling”, culture and/or socioeconomics; frustration with not being able to do things well or "perfectly." Effort and/or achievement frustration relates to codependence and materialism.

e) Identity vs. confusion. As a non-temporary phase, during adolescence, with adequate achievement of interpersonal relations, sensitivity, interest in the environment, a vital learning strategy, and sexuality; individual starts to assimilate emotional experiences. Adequate integration of (or in) a peer group (team) by adhesion and leadership. Also, experimentation with the concept of role, emphasis on action, facing diverse situations, and anticipating goals. Objective is “feeling” of one's own reliability, adequacy and organization of personal life. Where a sense of direction helps focus on commitment, i.e. personal values, ideological, participation, etc. Otherwise, as a vicious cycle, still dependent on parents’ expectations, passive-apathic behavior and procrastination.

f) Intimacy vs. isolation. The young adult has no longer prove self. Objective is to achieve a certain degree of intimacy, where empathy and openness are promoted. In this sense, love refers to the ability to remove differences and antagonisms through mutual devotion. For Montgomery and Arnett (2015), “Erikson’s young adulthood covers a long stretch of the lifespan, at least a 20-year period, from about age 20–40. Today, it seems that achieving intimacy is only one of the psychosocial challenges that these decades bring.” Otherwise:

  • as a maladaptive tendency, promiscuity is becoming too open, easy, effortless, without depth, regarding own intimacy. Also, intolerance, prejudice, hypocritical, obfuscating on differences and/or antagonisms;
  • malignant tendency, exclusion is maximum isolation “accompanied” with rage or irritability.

g) Performance vs. stagnation. Performance refers to long-term love and/or a personal role for the next generation. With independence, it is far less selfish than latter stages. Stagnation is no time for oneself, rest and/or peace. Objective is to achieve an equilibrium between own space-time (progress) and helping others. Otherwise: codependency, depression, narcissism and/or social withdrawal.

h) Integrity vs. resentment. Integrity is finding meaning and satisfaction; otherwise, rumination, fatalism, fear, attachment, bitchiness, a desire to hurt, annoy, and/or offend someone.

Gould (1975) concludes that "the evolution of a personality continues through the fifth decade of life." Helson and Moane (1987) found that "personality does change from youth to middle age in consistent and often predictable ways. Women who undertook neither career nor family showed little normative change". Stewart, Ostrove and Helson (2001) found "neither family nor work role experiences showed consistent significant effects." For Weiten (1992), "the fabled midlife crisis [ages 40 to 45] is not universal, and it may not even be typical." Montgomery and Arnett (2015) conclude that "Erikson remains a vital part of the scholarly conversation about human development in the 21st century, including the conversation about" adulthood.


References

Gould, R. (1975). Adult life stages: Growth toward self-tolerance. Psychology Today 8(9). 74.

Helson, R.; Moane, G. (1987). Personality change in women from college to midlife. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 53(1). https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.53.1.176

Montgomery, M. J.; Arnett, J. J. (2015). Erikson’s Young Adulthood and Emerging Adulthood Today. Journal of Child and Youth Care Work 25. https://doi.org/10.5195/jcycw.2015.82

Stewart, A. J.; Ostrove, J. M.; Helson, R. (2001). Middle aging in women: Patterns of personality change from the 30s to the 50s. Journal of Adult Development 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026445704288

Weiten, W. (1992). Psychology: Themes and Variations. Wadsworth.