Erik H. Erikson: Biography & Works

Where and When He Lived (Erik’s Background):

Erik’s 8 Stages of Personality Development:

Oral- Sensory Stage: Birth to 12-18 months: Trust vs. Mistrust; Children develop trust when parents provide love, care and support from birth, however the lack of this will lead to mistrust.
Muscular- Anal Stage: 18 months to 3 years: Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt; Children need to develop of sense of independence and control over their physical skills, failure of doing so leads to shame and doubt.
Locomotor Stage: 3-6 years: Initiative vs. Guilt; Children need to feel a sense of control over the environment and children who try to show too much power receive disapproval, resulting to guilt
Latency Stage: 6-12 years: Resolve conflicting feelings of industry vs. Inferiority with dealing with school; Children need to deal with new social and educational demands, failure results in feelings of inferiority
Adolescence: 12-18 years: Identity vs. Role Confusion; Teens need to stay true to themselves and try to recognize themselves and their identity, failure leads to insecurities
Young Adulthood: 18-25 years : Intimacy vs. Isolation; Young adults need to bond relationships and success results in long-lasting relationships whereas failure leads to loneliness
Adulthood: 25-65 years: Generativity vs. Stagnation; Adults need to create generations that will outlast them
Maturity: 65 years to death: Conflict of Ego vs. Despair; Adults need to feel fulfilled with the way their lives have passed, failure results in regret

Contributions to the Social Sciences:

Best known for developing theory: Identity Crisis
Erik believes people experience identity crisis when they lose “a sense of personal sameness and historical continuity”
Identity crisis is reoccurring often since the changing world demands us to constantly redefine ourselves
Believed that humans have to resolve different conflicts as they progress through each stage of development, in their life cycle
He is also credited for widening scope of psychoanalytic theory
Analyzed changes on many aspects including the generation gap, racial tensions, changing sexual roles and danger of nuclear war and other environmental factors
Erikson’s addition of other influences helped broaden the psychoanalytical theory
He also contributed to our understanding of personality as it’s developed and shaped over the course of lifespan
He believed humans have to resolve different conflicts as they progress through each stage of development in life cycle
At adolescent stage, teens must figure out who they are (identity crisis)
To take greater account of social, cultural and environmental factors

How he helped to further the discipline of:

Sociology: Personality helps us choose our friends and determines the way we act in front of people and it is the reason why we have certain types of attitudes and behaviours.
Psychology: These 8 stages define personality development throughout our lives and make us who we are as a person, and explain why we are that way.
Anthropology: Our personalities would reflect what our ancestors were like and shows our cultural background.

Reflection and Importance on the Credibility of the Study to Contemporary Social Issues:

His addition of stages to Freud’s psychosexual stages makes the understanding of human behaviour possible.
His contribution helped the humankind understand their own behaviours (and the reason behind why they behave certain way).
His book makes it possible for ordinary people to understand their life better.
Helps understand teens’ problems (easier to give therapy or resolve their problem because we understand how their behaviour is moulded.)
Helps parents understand their children (the child’s need for love and trust in beginning stage…etc)