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The first stage in Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development is trust vs. mistrust. This stage begins in infancy and continues to 18 months. In this stage, infants are starting to figure out who they can trust and who they cant. In order for them to develop trust, they need consistent love and care. If their caregivers are not giving them the love and care they need, the infant will start to develop mistrust and the need to protect themselves. "The critical element in developing trust is sensitive, responsive, consistent caregiving" (Mortorell, 2023, p. 150). My mother was a single mom when I was an infant. I knew that I could trust her and have hope because no matter how hard it was at times, she always made sure to show me constant love and affection and she took the best care of me.

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The second stage in Erikson's theory is autonomy vs. shame and doubt. This stage takes place between 18 months to 3 years. Now that children have developed trust with their caregivers, they are starting to gain their own independence. During this stage, children are starting to make their own decisions. Shame and guilt come into play here because even though they are becoming more independent, they still need limits set by their caregivers. "This drive typically shows itself in the form of negativism, that is, the tendency to shout “No!” just for the sake of resisting authority" (Mortorell, 2023, p. 156). One example of this in my personal life would have to do with having a sister very close in age to me. I wanted to do things on my own without the help of my mom or sister. A lot of times I would refuse to share with my sister.

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The third stage in Erikson's theory is initiative vs. guilt. The stage takes place around the preschool age, roughly 3-5 years old. During this stage, children are starting to take initiative. They are planning games and activities and are encouraged to do things on their own. Children are starting to face challenges on their own and accomplish tasks by themselves. The guilt portion of this comes into play when caregivers are reluctant to let them do things themselves and criticize them. "Children who learn how to regulate these opposing drives develop the virtue of purpose, the courage to envision and pursue goals without being unduly inhibited by guilt or fear of punishment" (Mortorell, 2023, p. 210). Coming from someone with a sister, this stage was when I started planning games for us to play. We would play store, restaurant, and doctor games.

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The fourth stage of Erikson's theory is industry vs. inferiority. This stage takes place between the ages of 5 and 12. During this stage, children are beginning to question their self worth. They are learning the skills needed to succeed in the world. The inferiority of this would be when children are not doing what is required of them. Children are comparing themselves to their peers and looking for praise from adults. "If the stage is successfully resolved, children develop a view of themselves as being able to master skills and complete tasks" (Mortorell, 2023, p. 275). An example of this in my life would have taken place when I was in middle school. I was an honor roll student and always tried to do the best in school. Getting praise from my mom made my self esteem higher.

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Stage 5: Identity vs. Identity Confusion 

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Stage 5: Identity vs. Identity Confusion 

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The fifth stage of Erikson's theory is identity vs. identity confusion. This theory takes place in adolescence, around 12-18 years old. This stage is when an adolescent is developing a sense of self. This is important in making sure that each person becomes their own unique adult. They are resolving three major issues. These issues are choice of occupation, values to live by, and sexual identity. Teenagers want to fit in and want to have a good sense of self. This stage can be stressful because adolescents could suffer from identity confusion. They may experiment and try different things to figure out exactly what they want. "Cliquishness and intolerance of differences, both hallmarks of adolescence, are defenses against identity confusion" (Mortorell, 2023, p. 336). During this time in my life, I was starting to figure out what I loved. I was finding different hobbies and determining what I wanted to be when I was older. This was a stressful time because I was very indecisive on what I wanted to do as I got older.

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The sixth stage of Erikson's theory is intimacy vs. isolation. This stage takes place in young adulthood, roughly between the ages of 18 and 40. During this stage, people are trying to make long lasting, intimate relationships with other people. This means they are comfortable with opening up to others and sharing their life with them. Isolation can occur here when people are not able to find an intimate relationship. This can be due to different issues one has with themselves. This can lead to feeling isolated and alone. "Freud made us aware of the importance of unconscious thoughts, feelings, and motivations; the role of childhood experiences in forming personality; the ambivalence of emotional responses, especially to parents; the role of mental representations of the self and others in establishing intimate relationships; and the path of normal development from an immature, dependent state to a mature, interdependent one" (Mortorell, 2023, p. 12). I am currently in this stage. I am 24 years old and have been with my boyfriend for almost 4 years now. We both continue to be open with each other and share our lives. We are always there for each other and continue to be loyal, trustworthy life partners.

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The seventh stage of Erikson's theory is generativity vs. stagnation. This theory takes place during middle adulthood, roughly between the ages of 40 and 65. This stage involves concern for others and the impact you are making on the world and generations to come. This usually has to do with family, career, and contribution to society. People will feel a sense of generativity if they feel they are making a valuable impact on the world. The opposite of this would be stagnation. This is when people do not feel like they are contributing enough or making a valuable impact on the world or future generations. "Factors that contribute to homelessness include lack of employment opportunities, stagnation in working class wages, declines in public assistance funds, lack of affordable health care, domestic violence, mental illness, and addiction" (Mortorell, 2023, p. 179). Although I am not in this stage yet, I feel that I will have a sense of generativity. My plan is to become a teacher and this is a very rewarding career. This is a job that contributes to the world and future generations.

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The eight and final stage of Erikson's theory is ego integrity vs. despair. This stage beings at 65 years old and continues the rest of a persons life. At this stage, we start to think about everything we have accomplished in our lives. We determine if we think that we have lived a successful, fulfilling life. Ego integrity is acceptance and happiness with the life you have lived. Despair, on the other hand, is feeling regretful of what you have done in your life. This is the case when someone feels that they have not accomplished enough in their lifetime. "The study of child development is part of the broader study of human development, which covers the entire human life span from conception to death, and is organized around periods and domains of development" (Mortorell, 2023, p. 2). I think once I reach this stage, I will have a sense of ego integrity. I have a lot of goals and aspirations and I hope to achieve all of them. If I do, I do not think I will have anything to regret.

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Martorell, G. (2023). Child, 3rd edition. McGraw Hill.