Erikson's Theory Of Psychosocial Development

Erik Erikson 's Theory of Psychosocial Development Erik Erikson 's Theory of Psychosocial Development is the theory that as we go throughout our lives we experience eight essential stages in our lives. Each corresponding stage has a correlating virtue or vice alongside an existential question that the person may subconsciously wonder as they move on throughout their psychosocial development.
Erik Erikson was an ego psychologist greatly influenced by the Id psychologist, Sigmund Freud. However, instead of psychosexual stages, Erikson theorized that they were psychosocial instead. These psychosocial stages were more influenced by internal struggles that conflict with society rather than struggles that conflict with their sexual identity. …show more content…
Guilt, a stage where a child begins to emulate adults and try to find a role they like. This stage takes place between the age of four to around six years old. Often, children will play and pretend to be certain things like doctors, or soldiers, or action heroes. If kids are encouraged to play, they will develop initiative. However, if they are scorned for this, they may instead develop a sense of guilt instead. During this stage, the family in general is the most important factor in determining the child 's development. This stage is very important because an adult who gains the latter trait will be less likely make choices for themselves or to take necessary risks. The desired virtue of this stage is purpose, and its existential question “Is it okay for me to interact with the world around …show more content…
The crisis in this stage of life is Generativity vs. Stagnation. This part of life begins around the age of thirty-five and lasts until about age sixty-five. This stage of life is all centered around work and how what they do has purpose. It is very important for those during this stage to be able to feel that their job has meaning. Meaning to either themselves or someone else. The most important people in this person 's life is their significant other, their coworkers and their children. Many during this stage are married with kids, and are trying to grow their children to be the best possible version of themselves. If someone however, does not feel that their work has meaning or what they are doing even matters they may feel stuck in their crisis. The virtue of this stage is care, and the existential question is “Can I make my life