Analyzing Erikson's Psychological Stages

Renowned Psychologist, Erik Erikson has 8 stages of psychological stages which are: Trust vs mistrust, autonomy vs. shame and doubt, initiative vs. guilt, industry vs. inferiority, identity vs. confusion, intimacy vs. isolation, generativity vs. stagnation, and integrity v. despair. These stages cover the life span from birth to death. People who successfully go through each conflict gain a new understanding of themselves and are psychologically successful. On the other hand, people have fail to pass these conflicts aren’t able to really have that strong sense of self-actualization.
Trust vs. Mistrust is the first stage of Erik Erikson’s conflicts. New born babies are very reliant and dependent on their caregivers, it is through them that …show more content…
Children who are able to pass this stage will always be ready to take the intuitive and get things done with confidence. However, students unsuccessfully don’t pass this stage are always feeling guilty hardly ever take the initiative and always doubt themselves. Industry vs. Inferiority this deals with the encouragement received from your parents after you’ve accomplished something. Although after feeling prideful in their goal achievements, children look towards their parents for approval lack of motivation or encouragement makes the child feel like they are incompetent and can’t get anything right, therefore reassurance when raising a child is vital to their psychological development. Erikson’s fifth stage identity vs. confusion is prominent for teenagers and sets the tone for their psychological development in the years to come. An adolescent who hasn’t developed this fifth stage won’t feel secure and will be unsure of themselves. Adolescents who successfully pass this stage are secure with themselves and are able to live by the basic demands of …show more content…
isolation is the stage that people begin to build strong and secure relationships. People who don’t pass this stage aren’t able to from relationships other people as a result may develop depression and the feeling of separated from everyone else. However, people who pass this stage gain love and are able to build bonds and make strong connections with friends. Psychological stage 7 which is also known as the generativity vs stagnation stage. This is where adults feel like they are a member of society through their ability to care for their loved ones, failure of this stage will have adults feel as though they aren’t apart of the world. The final stage of Erikson’s theory is integrity vs. despair and this stage is for elderly people who are now reflecting on their lives at their accomplishments or failures. Elders who do pass this stage become bitter and filled with regrets of what they could’ve done. However, those who pass this stage will feel accomplished and happy with how their lives turned out to be. With all of Erikson’s eight stages it’s not hard but to realize that all these serves as building block for the previous stage. Failure to successfully pass anyone of Erikson’s stages will result in a poor psychosocial development where you are unsure of yourself and unable to connect with the world around