Analyzing Erikson's Eight Stages Of Psychosocial Development

Erik Erikson discusses 8 psychosocial stages. Erikson was an ego psychologist and highlighted the role of culture, society and the conflicts that takes place during the ego. () As indicated by Erikson, the ego makes a positive offering to development by mastering attitudes, ideas, and skills at each stage of development. This will help children grow into successful, contributing members of society. Not being able to master these stages will lead to feelings of uselessness. Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development are based on Freud’s psychosexual theory. Erikson believed that we are motivated by the need to achieve mastery in certain areas of our life. () Erikson’s eight stages of psychosocial development starting from infancy through late adulthood includes: Trust vs. Mistrust, Autonomy vs. Shame/ Doubt, Initiative vs. Guilt, Industry vs. Inferiority, Identity vs. Role Confusion, Intimacy vs. Isolation, Generativity vs. Stagnation, and Integrity vs. Despair. Also depending on your culture that will
Mistrust is from birth to 1 years old, this is the first stage were infants should learn that they can trust their parents. This happens when the parent or gradient of the child gains the infants basic needs of survival. Infant are very dependent on their care givers, so care givers who are giving them love and affection will help their babies look at the world as a safe and comfortable place. A baby wakes up and start to cry in their crib and their care giver comes in an either feeds the crying baby, changes the dipper, or cuddle the baby are all examples of the baby trusting and depending on their care giver to give them basic needs of survival. Unresponsive caregivers who ignore their baby’s needs will cause the baby anxiety, fear, and mistrust, and the baby will view the world as unpredictable. () If infants are treated brutal or their needs are not met correctly, they will more than likely grow up with a sense of mistrust for the people in the