The first stage in Erikson's theory of development, trust versus mistrust, occurs within 0-1 years of age. The outcome of this stage is determined by whether the infant is properly and responsibly cared for. If the infant is, they will develop a basic trust in the world and its people. If the infant is not, they will see the world as hostile.

My Experience:

When I was one and a half, my father left my family. I do not remember this event. However, what I have been told is that when he left, my mother took on the emotional and physical responsibilities of raising me. In this way, I have never had a lapse in caregiving. The book claims, "The critical element in developing trust is sensitive, responsive, consistent caregiving.”

I did not have consistent caregiving from my father, despite this, I have had a caregiver that has been sensitive, responsive, and consistent with my mother.

Autonomy versus shame and doubt is the second stage in Erikson's theory of development. During this stage, a toddler weighs their self-determination with the control exerted by others, such as authority figures in their life. During this stage, the child will "test the waters" of what they can get away with. If done so properly, the child will gain a sense of mastery over their physical will, which manifests as the virtue of will.

My Experience:

I have been told that my "terrible twos" were particularly nasty. My mother told me that I would take playing too far and throw things across the room. I am unsure of the reaction by my parents when things like this happened. Though I can tell that I was weighing my own autonomy (which in this case, happened to be how far I could throw an ashtray) and the wishes of my parents. I went as far as to throw myself down the stairs of my mother’s apartment. These reactions are indicative of Erikson’s belief that “unlimited freedom is neither safe nor healthy,” I do not know how much leave-way I was given to attend to my own devices, but I survived.

During this stage, Initiative versus guilt, Erikson finds that a child of preschool age must begin to balance their ever-expanding goals and ambitions for themselves, and the social approval of those around them. During this stage, a child in this stage is beginning to exhibit two parts of their personality. There is the part that remains a child, and the part that is growing into an adult. As their social world broadens, they will take more initiative and responsibility.

My Experience:

When I was five, I fell from my grandfather’s apple tree and broke my arm. This is the first event showcased in this project that I can remember clearly. I climbed the apple tree despite the branches’ dampness from recent rainfalls, and I did so while wearing sandals. When my grandfather noticed this, he shouted from his window for me to get out of the tree. I asked if I could jump from the tree. Due to the slippery branch, and my slippery shoes, I slid from the branch right when I made my jump, and I fell on my stomach, with my left arm underneath. My arm was properly mangled. It was broken in two positions, creating a “Z” from the angles of the breaks.

Erikson’s third stage is marked by a pushing of boundaries by children; “children balance the urge to pursue goals with reservations about doing so.” I pursued a goal of climbing a tree, but I did not balance it with any reservations about its safety. This changed quickly after this incident, which marked the end of this stage for me.

The fourth stage in Erikson's theory, industry versus inferiority, is determined by a child's perception of their abilities compared to their peers. During this stage, the child will compare themselves to their peers, take in feedback about their strengths and weaknesses, and develop a sense of self and self-esteem based on that comparison and feedback.

My Experience:

When I was ten years old, I met my best friend, Samantha Games. She is still my best friend. This coincided with a big move my family took from an urban area in Indianapolis to a highly rural one in Greencastle, Indiana. Samantha encouraged me to try for my school’s concert band on a whim. She and I were in band class together from this instance to my senior year of high school. Band class became a home for me in my adolescence. It was the first time I felt that I could excel at anything. 

Because of Samantha’s encouragement and acceptance, and the introduction of music into my life, I feel that this was a turning point in Erikson’s third stage of development, Industry Vs. Inferiority. Martorell states that within this stage, “children must learn the productive skills their culture requires or else face feelings of inferiority.” Band class offered this feeling of productivity, which stayed my feelings of inferiority. Likewise, Samantha’s acceptance of me was an indicator that my self-worth would not be lacking.

Erikson claimed that an adolescent in this stage of development will begin to identify roles that they may fill in society. These roles manifest as career choice, affiliations/friends, organizations they are a part of, and many more. Erikson claimed that identity forms in the resolution of three issues, "The choice of an occupation, the adoption of values to live by, and the development of a satisfying sexual identity." (Martorell) Adolescence are able to resolve these issues due to psychosocial moratorium, which is "a period of time that allows young people to search for commitments to which they can be faithful." (Martorell)

My Experience:

Erikson’s fifth stage, identity versus identity confusion, was expanded on by James Marcia. Marcia believed that this stage included four different types of identity status that a person could develop. The type of identity status is determined by the presence of crisis and commitment. 

My late adolescence and young adult life was marred by searching for commitments, but ultimately returning to doubt those commitments. I pursued my first job at 14 years old. A construction company allowed me to work on roofs and paid me “under the table” because it was illegal for a minor to work on a construction site. After this, I worked in retail while maintaining my extracurriculars during high school.

When I left high school at 18 years old, I capitalized on a scholarship and pursued college immediately, just as many people do. I did this with the intention of becoming a teacher, which is the path I am on now a decade later. At the time, I believe I made this commitment uncritically, which eventually led to a crisis in my commitment to it. Three semesters into that college, I dropped out due to an unhealthy mental state. I would later find out that I have ADHD and am on the autistic spectrum, but at the time I did not know what was wrong. After this, I moved in with my aunt in Indianapolis and pursued my first apartment. My aunt gave me a job at a restaurant she managed. This job did not last, however. I remember an overwhelming feeling of not belonging at the time. When I was in school, all I wanted to do was work and be self-sufficient. When I left, I wanted to return to school. I did not know what or who I wanted to be. I feel that I was stuck in this cycle (and in many ways still am) until I finally did return to college through Ivy Tech in 2020. I was 26 when I did that, which is not adolescence. I believe this stage was extended, and I am still struggling with many aspects of it.

This stage, though I cannot find it in the textbook for this course, is a trademark of early adulthood. Erikson found that young adults will develop close relationships in the form of friends or a significant other, while still maintaining a sense of self.

My Experience:

After high school, I maintained relationships with my closest friends. We went to college together and eventually worked together at the same facility. While this happened, I was lucky to form relationships with friends that I met as an adult. In 2014, I met three of my closest friends in Indianapolis. These friends and I are distant now, but maintain a good relationship. In 2016, I met a wonderful friend that I still see often while working in a factory. In 2017, I formed relationships with friends who I would eventually live with in New York City. In 2021, the friends that I left high school with and I fell out. Despite this, I have maintained many friendships that I formed in my adult life. I have never met a significant other, but my friendships are intimate and complex.

This stage takes place in middle adulthood, like the last stage and the one that comes after this, I could not find details about this stage in our textbook. During this stage, adults will seek to work with members of the younger generations in their lives. They will help prepare that generation for their own roles and responsibilities in society.

My Experience:

This stage may just be beginning for me. The return of my goal to be a teacher in 2020 coincided with the birth of my niece. Likewise, around this time, my friends began to have children who have become important in my life. The change that in my life, goals, and perceptions that has come from my relationships to the next generation has been incalculable. I am an influence on how they will grow and view the world, which was a big motivation for me when I returned to college. I can only assume this responsibility that I feel will grow as time progresses and my nieces and nephews grow, as well as with my time as a teacher.

Integrity versus despair, the final stage in Erikson's theory of development, occurs in late adulthood, when the bulk of a person's life is behind them. In this stage, Erikson states that a person will reflect on their life and weigh it against their vision of what their life could have been. The adult can deem their life as well-lived and be content, or lament on the many regrets they have about it.

My Experience:

I most certainly have had no part in this stage yet, and it is difficult to make a guess as to its outcome based on my life so far. I often look back at my early adulthood, my 20’s, and wish that I had been more productive or knew what my purpose was sooner. Despite this, I have a feeling that as I look back on my life in its totality, this decade will not hold as heavy a weight as it does for me now. I like to think that I will mostly look back with fondness for my life and the people in it, instead of regrets that I may have.