Week 8 Assignment: Erikson’s Timeline
I read Chapter 9 and looked at all of Erikson’s Eight Stages of Life. I read about the age, psychosexual stage, psychosocial issues, central questions, and associated virtues regarding each of the eight stages
I believe that the stage I am currently at this this point in my life is Stage 7 which is Mature adulthood. I believe I am at this stage in my life because I am 40 years old and have past the psychosocial issues that were listed in the other six stages of life. The central question that is posted during stage 7, mature adult, is “How can I fashion a “gift”? “(McAdams, 2009, p.351). I would have to say that I consciously sought the answer for my question. I do admit that I still do have some of the central questions and associated virtue that are associated with some of the other stages of life. I think that even at my age we still do wonder some of these things. Generativity vs. stagnation which the age is about 30-65 is the stage where people need to be productive in their careers and the goals they have set for life, if this period is not fulfilling certain individuals will become stagnant and do very little. I think that is why at the age of 38 years old I decided to go back to school because I felt like my life was not fulfilling and I knew what I wanted in life when it came to goals. I finally had the courage to fulfill my dream and now I feel like I am on the correct road in life.
Choosing someone who I know is in another stage in their life is sort of hard for me. I would have to pick my niece Carol though. I would say that she is in step 5, adolescence and young adulthood, of Erikson’s Eight Stages of Life. This stage is when one may have psychosocial issues such as Identity vs. role confusion. I believe that my niece is also at the point of Intimacy vs. isolation. She is a very smart person who is 22 years old. She dropped out of school when she had a 4.0 to work more and be with a