Erik Eriksons stages of Development

Erikson 's Stages of Development

One of the most significant contributions of Erik Erikson was his theory on development . Development , as we all know , proceeds by stages - and Erikson has subdivided this into eight . His first four stages cover infancy and childhood , adolescence for the fifth stage , and the last three stages cover the adult years up until old age . Erikson labeled these stages as follows : trust versus mistrust , autonomy versus shame and doubt , initiative versus guilt , industry versus inferiority identity versus role confusion , intimacy versus isolation , generativity versus stagnation

, and integrity versus despair

Erikson 's first four stages appear to complement other development theories (e .g . Jeung ) on the significance of the early childhood years - those being the crucial period of personality development and social adjustment . What is admirable with his concept is that it extends into adulthood . While Freud 's and Jung 's theories of development stop short of adulthood

Infancy is the stage of trust versus mistrust . It is during this stage when the infant learns to become familiar with the comforts provided by the mother and learns to trust his environment . More importantly , the infant learns to trust himself as well . The negative side of which is mistrust and this happens when the infant , has continuously been deprived of a nurturing environment and loving affection from adults What is imprinted in his mind then is a sense of separation or abandonment

Early childhood is also the stage of autonomy versus shame and doubt Only when a...