Erikson's Stage Six: Intimacy Versus Isolation Development Theory

Decent Essays
My interview questions were based on Erikson’s stage six: intimacy versus isolation development theory. This psychosocial crisis begins in our early twenties. According to ….“young adults need to establish close and committed relationships and partnerships with other people. The hallmark of intimacy is the “ethical strength to abide by such commitments, even though they may call for significant sacrifices and compromises.” Failure to do so will lead to a sense of isolation.” (SITE) A sense of intimacy and closeness between different people in different areas of our lives is what is desired at this stage of development. The opportunities to further develop in this stage may be affected by the person willingness to initiate these bonds with

Related Documents

  • Decent Essays

    Throughout the years, numerous researchers have completed work exploring attachment theory and the long-term effects that early parent-child attachments have on people’s lives and relationships. This research has found that early attachment patterns extend across the lifespan and affect a variety of different aspects in people’s lives. With this in mind, this paper sought to provide an overview of the research currently available regarding the effects of early parent-child attachments on the well-being, social adjustment, and friendships and/or peer relationships of young adults. According to the literature reviewed, early parent-child attachments have a strong effect on young adults’ well-being and social adjustment. Research shows that young…

    • 454 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    From a Chinese-American middle-class family, Lucy is a quiet and timid 12-year-old child who exhibits a strong sense of autonomy. She is responsible in various aspects such as, cleaning-up after herself, taking care of her younger brother, Jonathan, finishing her homework before she enjoys her free-time activities, and saving up her allowance. While she is comfortable interacting with people she has formed intimate relationships with, e.g. her family members and close friends, she is aloof among strangers and struggles to engage with them, often avoiding the situation at whole. In an attempt to understand Lucy’s state of development in terms of her observed behavior and personality, I utilize Erik Erickson’s Human Development Stage Theory, Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Development Stage Theory, and John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth’s Attachment Theory to analyze Lucy.…

    • 959 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Relational Dialecticics

    • 1173 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The stability and satisfaction of relationships is a major problem that has been, and is continually being researched. Relational dialectics takes a look at what communication in relationships looks like. The two leading researchers in this field are Baxter and Montgomery. They are also the same researchers who proposed the theory in 1988. Their definition of this field of study is, “The both/and quality that leads us to contradiction between us and our relationship partner”(Wood, 2000, p.132).…

    • 1173 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    8 OPIATE AND BENZODIAZEPINE SUBSTANCE ABUSE Opiate and Benzodiazepine Substance Abuse Melina Esparza Moreno California State University, Channel Islands Opiate and Benzodiazepine Substance Abuse Teaching Plan Introduction Prescription drug abuse is a devastating problem for some people from different types of backgrounds. It is an epidemic that has been labeled as the nation’s fastest growing drug problem and deaths from overdose surpass those of homicides, gunshots, and suicides (Felicilda- Reynaldo, 2015) Prescription drug abuse is the misuse and abuse of prescribed medications not used for medical purposes with intentions of getting high off the drug.…

    • 1776 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Chapter 7 teaches that life is an ever-changing process that occurs in stages; how a person reacts to events and changes from these stages will determine their level of happiness and ultimately the type of life he or she will live (Manning, Curtis, McMillen & Attenweiler, 2011). I am 31 years of age and am in Stage 6- “Intimacy vs. Isolation”, which occurs between age 20 to 40. In my twenties, I moved into and out of my parents’ house twice, was involved in some bad relationships, partied often and formed a few unhealthy friendships. Most of the decisions I made were because I was focused on other things and people instead of my needs and wants, which is considered over-socialization (Manning, et al., 2011).…

    • 234 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    What Enables Close Relationships Discussed in Chapter 11, are the elements to what enables a close relationship. There are many factors that contribute to building a close relationship with someone, that are beneficial to maintaining those relationships. Those elements are Attachment Styles, Equity, and Self-Disclosure. All three are ways in which we all form bonds and connections with one another. Attachment styles are linked to children’s behaviors and habits that tend to stay with them through adulthood.…

    • 440 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Bowlby formulated the Theory of Attachment. Attachment is a universal phenomenon where babies form a relationship and attach to the person who responds to their needs. There are four different phases to the development of attachment. Through these four stages, the bond will form between an infant and the adult and through the intimate relationship; the infant will be able to develop more successful relationships with others that mirror its first relationship with their trusted caretaker. The attachment theory is widely accepted as universal phenomenon, however cultural factors influence the infant’s patterns of development.…

    • 1211 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Relationship Development

    • 1089 Words
    • 5 Pages

    In our lives, we have many relationships between us and families, friends, or romantic relationship. These relationships have stories from beginning until now or end. Some of the relationships have ended up to be separated or even hate each other while others have lovely moments, and it is continuing forever. These relationships have passed the stages of relationships development and maintenance. There are ten stages which are initiating, experiments, intensifying, integrating, bonding, differentiating, circumscribing, stagnating, avoiding, and terminating.…

    • 1089 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The sixth stage intimacy vs. isolation age is (20s and 30s), this is the age you start asking “Will I be loved, or will I be alone.” This stage is when you start creating an intimate relationship with other either a romantic or friendship. During this stage you must develop closeness, commit whether you agree or disagree find solutions to conflict, so you are able to have a successful relationship, when people fail to do this they do all this they end up lonely. If you are lonely you suffer from depression and emotional isolation…

    • 95 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Pair Bonding Studying pair bonding and attachment styles in infants through adulthood is necessary for counselors. According to Broderick and Blewitt (2016), “in middle adulthood, as in young adulthood, loving relationships and productive, meaningful work continue to be critical elements in the construction of a satisfying life” (pp.496). Erikson defines intimacy as sharing oneself with another individual. Marriage is a goal that most individuals want to achieve during their lifetime.…

    • 433 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Erikson’s sixth stage, “Intimacy vs. Isolation,” encompasses early adulthood and is a time when a person begins to seek intimacy in their interpersonal relationships; failure to do so “leads to a deep sense of isolation, the avoidance of intimate contacts, and self-absorption” (Spano, Koenig, Hudson, & Leiste, 2010, p. 201). For me, this was a time of change and a great deal of turmoil. I went to the University of Central Florida in Orlando with a full scholarship. My parents paid for all other expenses, including housing, food, and extracurricular. Up to this point, I had never done anything for myself.…

    • 1559 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    According to Invitation to the Lifespan, Beth, the first women I interviewed, is in the Emerging Adulthood stage of life. Emerging adulthood is the period of life between 18 and 25 and is considered the transitioning phase from adolescence to adulthood. (Berger, 2016) Beth is an 18-year-old female and the older of two children. She is currently in her freshman year at a University in California.…

    • 1573 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    According to Piaget’s four stages of cognitive development theory (Santrock, 2014), I would be in the formal operational stage. This stage can begin as early as 11 and continue throughout the lifespan developmental process. In this stage one begins to reason in more abstract, idealistic, and logical ways (Santrock 2014). I would say that I have been in this stage for many years now, and have made a lot of developmental progress throughout this cognitive stage. For example, over the years I have begun to use more logical reasoning in my thinking process.…

    • 1058 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Isolation stage is where we begin to share ourselves with a significant other who will ultimately lead to longer term commitment, this does not necessarily mean that it is strictly a sexual relationship; you may share yourself with someone on the friendship level.(Boyd, Johnson, Bee, 2011) Erikson defined intimacy as “ the ability to fuse your identity with someone else’s without fear that you’re going to lose something yourself”(as cited in Lifespan Development, 2011) It is important to notice that in this citation, he uses the word “ identity” in a context in which he means that it is already there. We cannot look for intimacy without having already figured out ourselves or our identity. Hence, we cannot look for ourselves in someone else.…

    • 673 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I can identify and really agree with the fact and findings that young adults who live away from parents confront more difficult challenges but also learn more effectively to resolve problems. I studied in boarding school since I was twelve years old. Because of that, I have been trained to live away from my parents since I was in my early adolescent stage. I learn so many things in my boarding school such as how to take care of myself, take care of my financial need and also learn to be independent. In my country, most of young adults continue to live with parents until they decided to get married.…

    • 769 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays