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Kimber Bergstrom
American Public University System
March 2, 2023
PSYC101 Introduction to Psychology
Dr. Mary Ward

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Erik Erikson's theory of development containes 8 stages and in each stage, a person is presented with a unique psychological issue. How they navigate and overcome or do not overcome that issue forms the characteristics of their personality (Sacco, 2013).

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My Great-Grandmother and I in Early Infancy

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Stage 1: Early Infancy- Trust Vs. Mistrust

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Stage 1: Early Infancy- Trust Vs. Mistrust

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The first stage begins at birth and continues until roughly 18 months of age. At this stage, the infant looks to their primary caregiver for stability (Mcleod, 1970). If the care received is consistent the child will develop a sense of trust they carry into other relationships later in life.

In this stage an infant is rapidly changing and growing, they will routinely double their birth weight within the first six months of life. Infants are also learning about their immediate environment and how to interact with and in it.

How I navigated Stage 1

My mother was a single parent for most of my infancy, though she did have a supportive extended family that helped raise me. I never felt neglected or unwanted and so I navigated this stage successfully and was able to form relationships later in life.

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Stage 2: Toddler- Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

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Stage 2: Toddler- Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

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Stage 2 lasts from 18 months of age to approximately 3 years. According to Erikson, children at this stage are focused on developing a sense of personal control over physical skills and a sense of independence. During this stage, children begin to assert their independence, by walking away from their mother, picking which toy to play with, and making choices about what they like to wear, to eat, etc (Mcleod, 1970). If a child is encouraged to flex their independence in this stage, they will acquire self-confidence and feel secure in their ability to survive and thrive.

Children in stage 2 are now beginning to learn how to communicate and walk as well as becoming more aware and curious about the world outside of their immediate caregiver.

Navigating Stage 2 for myself was a bit rocky, due to trauma in my mother's past she was hesitant to allow me a larger amount of independence, this caused me to be more fearful than most children this age, but I was still able to traverse this stage and move on.

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Stage 3: Early Childhood- Initiative vs. Guilt

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Stage 3: Early Childhood- Initiative vs. Guilt

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Stage 3 lasts from 3 years of age until about 6 years of age. In this stage, children are more frequently asserting their independence through social interaction and initiating play with other children. Children's curiosity about the world grows and they enter the dreaded "why?" stage.  If a child's questions are treated as trivial then the child will grow up with a feeling of guilt for being a nuisance. A healthy balance between initiative and guilt is important. Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of purpose, while failure results in a sense of guilt (Mcleod, 1970).

During this stage, a child's physical growth slows and their brains are now about 90% of the final adult weight.

Navigating Stage 3

At this stage, my mother encouraged me to ask any questions I might have and did her best to explain in terms I understood while not talking down to me. I was also encouraged to play with my many cousins making this stage relatively easy for me to pass through.

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Stage 4: Middle Childhood- Industry vs. Inferiority

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Stage 4: Middle Childhood- Industry vs. Inferiority

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Stage 4 occurs between 5 years to 12 years old and is the time when children are learning to read, write, and do math. Teachers take on an important role at this stage as children are mastering specific skills. Peers also take on a much greater significance as children try to win approval and develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments. If the child cannot develop the specific skill they feel society is demanding (e.g., being athletic) then they may develop a sense of Inferiority (Mcleod, 1970).

Height and weight growth are slower and steadier in this stage and children are beginning to grasp concepts such as the properties of an object still remaining the same despite a change in appearance.

Stage 4 and me

At this stage, I discovered books and fell in love, I was smaller than most children my age and was not athletic or artistic, and struggled to fit in so I spent most of my time alone, reading. This stage was very difficult for me to handle.

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Stage 5: Adolescence-Identity vs. Identity Confusion

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Stage 5: Adolescence-Identity vs. Identity Confusion

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This stage lasts from 12 to 18 years of age and is the time when teenagers try to figure out their personal beliefs, goals, and values. In adolescence, teens are creating their identity and looking towards the future. They are deciding what career they may want,  how their family will look, and where they fit within society.  Failing to find a place in society may lead to what is called role confusion when a person is unsure of who they are or where they belong.

Puberty begins in this stage and results in many changes for both males and females, including body hair and muscle development.

My personal stage 5

I shined in this stage, I was living on my own by 15 and joined the military as soon as I turned 18. I quickly found my role in society and flourished. I knew immediately that I wanted to make the Air Force my career.

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Stage 6: Young Adulthood-  Intimacy vs. Isolation

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Stage 6: Young Adulthood-  Intimacy vs. Isolation

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Stage 6 is from 19-40 years old and revolves around forming intimate and loving relationships with others. Successfully navigating this stage of life results in happy, committed, long-term relationships and a feeling of safety.

People in this stage of life are completely physically matured at their peak both physically and cognitively. Their reproductive systems are at their best and this is the stage when most women have children of their own.

Stage 6 is in progress

I am currently coming to the end of stage 6 of my lifespan. I have a loving, happy marriage, I am almost done raising 2 wonderful, smart children and I am about to retire after 20 years in the military. This stage has not been all smooth sailing of course, but I feel confident about where I am and where I'm going.

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My father in middle adulthood and me in young adulthood

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Stage 7: Middle Adulthood- Generativity vs. Stagnation

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Stage 7: Middle Adulthood- Generativity vs. Stagnation

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Stage 7 is 40-65 years old and involves “making your mark” on the world. In middle age, people strive to create something that will outlast them, a way to be remembered. This is often done through raising children and/or being involved in community organizations. Failing to do these things can cause a person to feel unproductive or unimportant to the world.

Physically at this stage, people are experiencing vision and hearing problems, weight gain, and joint pain. A person's cognitive abilities are also beginning to decline and this may manifest as problems with memory and abstract reasoning.

Stage 7 is coming soon

I am almost at this stage in my life and I feel pretty confident about it. I will have raised my children and sent them off to be productive members of society. I will be working on my second career and looking forward to spending quality time with my husband.

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Stage 8: Older Adulthood- Integrity vs. Despair

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Stage 8: Older Adulthood- Integrity vs. Despair

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Stage 8 is the final stage in Erikson's theory and covers from 65 until death. This is the time when a person looks back at their life and accomplishments and decides if they have led a successful, fulfilling life. Erikson believed if we felt regret at not accomplishing our life goals or guilt about our past we would develop feelings of despair or hopelessness, but if we feel that we have accomplished our goals then we would experience a feeling of completeness and not fear death.

At this stage of life, people begin to have mobility problems, their organs are aging and they are more susceptible to illness and disease. People struggle with cognitive issues at this stage, they process things more slowly and may struggle to recall past events or information that was once known to them.

Stage 8 is my future

When I reach this stage I think I will feel the sense of completeness that Erikson theorized. Even if I do not get the second career I am working towards, I've still been able to help many people, I've raised great children and had a great marriage and I don't think I'll fear death. I will be happy to slow down and spend my last years enjoying my husband's company.

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Erikson's views on Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation 

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Erikson's views on Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation 

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Erikson did not specifically discuss gender identity in his theory, but many scholars of his work believe it happens during stage 5 during Identity vs. Identity Confusion. Identity provides a deep sense of ideological commitment and allows the individual to know his or her place in the world. However, if the individual experiences extreme doubt regarding the meaning and purpose of their existence, leading to a sense of loss and confusion (Sokol, 2009).  Gender Identity was not studied at the time of Erikson's publishing of his theory and therefore was not included in the discussion. The same holds true with sexual orientation. Until 1973, homosexuality was still classified as a mental disorder and was not studied as the complex spectrum we know it is today.

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Mcleod], [S. (1970, January 1). [Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development]. Erik Erikson's 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development. Retrieved March 2, 2023, from https://simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html#trust

Sacco, R. (2013, March 28). Re-envisaging the eight developmental stages of Erik Erikson: The fibonacci life-chart method (FLCM). Journal of Educational and Developmental Psychology. Retrieved March 2, 2023, from https://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jedp/article/view/24725

Sokol, J. T. (2009). Identity Development Throughout the Lifetime: An Examination of Eriksonian Theory. Graduate Journal of Counseling Psychology., 1(2).

Thies, K. M., & Travers, J. F. (2001). Human growth and development through the lifespan. Slack.