Erick Erickson's Eight Stages Of Human Development

We were all born, we were all young, we were old, and sadly but truly we will all die. Every single one of us goes through phases, whether negative or positive. As a human being, we are all shaped and molded by the events we have witnessed, the people we’ve met and those that influence us. Erick Erickson was a psychoanalyst who studied various aspects of Sigmund Freud’s Id (self). Erickson stated that there are eight stages of the human development starting with Trust vs. Mistrust, that starts at birth and ends around 12 to 18 months. Around this month infants form a trustworthy relationship with their mother, fathers and caregivers. As an infant, my mother described me as being a happy baby, always laughing and never afraid of strangers. …show more content…
inferiority within the school aged child ranging from ages six to eleven. Within this stage children are learning to adapt to their changing environments, both socially, and academically. If the child successfully adapts it gives the child a sense of competence, whereas a child’s failure will lead to a sense of inferiority. This was the most interesting stage for me; considering my dad was in the military, it caused me to start one school and finish another. Considering I was so use to moving, I became a chameleon so to speak, adapting to different environments, social groups, and also grading scales. Additionally, this stage dealt with the concept of knowledge and creation. As a child I would describe myself as very artistic, especially between the ages of seven and ten. I would always find a way to be creative, by making mosaics, and painting pictures. Art class was by far my favorite class; it allowed me to use my creativity, while also learning new terms related to art history. Although many of my experiences were positive, there were also some negatives. As many of my peers were making a’s and b’s I found myself making c’s and d’s which made me feel inferior to my peers. Furthermore, the idea that many of my peers were frequently asked to play games because they were popular and I wasn’t, further made me feel a sense of …show more content…
Isolation as lasting from 19 to 40 years of age, and deals with the concept of finding love through, tenderness, trust and understanding. Additionally Erickson also states that young adult hood aims to create a long lasting relationship or fail due to the result of weak relationships which lead to loneliness and isolation. During this time many individuals are experimenting with relationships trying to find one that could lead to marriage, while also fearing they may never have a good relationship. Growing up I 've never been obsessed with the idea of having a significant other due to the fact I was more concerned about my grades then I was about having a boyfriend, just as I am now. Even though many of my friends are solely focused on the idea of marriage, and motherhood, I am more focused on my education and career. In addition to this, Erickson introduces the concept of openness, willingness, and effort made to keep a commitment. This is by far the most important part of any relationship, although, I am not currently in a relationship I can say the lack of communication is vital especially in this stage, as many young adults including me want to feel understood, without being judged. Moreover, for me being able to completely commit is extremely important. Additionally, I see many of my fellow peers struggling with the thought and ide of