Erik Erikson Flashcards
Who is Erik Erikson?
- developed ego psychology
What is the ego?
- performed many constructive functions
- relatively powerful, independent part of personality
- principle function to establish and maintain a sense of identity
What is an identity crisis?
- confusion and despair we feel when we lack a strong sense of who we are
What are the 8 stages of personality development throughout the lifecycle?
- trust vs. mistrust
- autonomy vs. shame and doubt
- initiative vs. guilt
- industry vs. inferiority
- identity vs. role confusion
- intimacy vs. isolation
- generativity vs. stagnation
- ego integrity vs. despair
What are crises?
- turning points in personality development
- two directions in which to proceed
- how we resolve each crisis determines the direction our personality development takes and influences how we solve later crises
- one is adaptive
- when take wrong turn, need to return later to set things right
What is basic trust?
- Child whose needs are met develops a sense of basic trust
- the world is a good place and people are loving and approachable
What is basic mistrust?
- Infants who never receive the loving care they need develops a sense of basic mistrust
- suspicion about and withdrawal from other people
When does the trust vs. mistrust stage take place?
- infancy
- first year
- at mercy of others
What is autonomy?
- allowed to manipulate and control/influence much of what they encounter
- develop sense of autonomy
- powerful and independent
- strong sense of personal mastery
What is shame and doubt?
- over protection of children
- hinders development
- develop feelings of shame and doubt
- unsure of themselves
- dependent on others
When does the autonomy vs. shame and doubt stage take place?
- toddler
- second year
- want to know who they are relative to the rest of the world
What is initiative?
- learn how to play and work with others and resolve conflicts
- seek out playmates
- organize games and participate in social activities
- develop sense of initiative
- how to set goals and tackle challenges with conviction
- sense of ambition and purpose
What is guilt?
- fail to develop sense of initiative
- feelings of guilt and resignation
- lack of sense of purpose
When does the initiative vs. guilt stage take place?
- early childhood
- begin to interact with other children
What is industry?
- experience success
- feelings of competence
- active and achieving members of society
- sense of industry
- belief in one’s strengths and abilities
What is inferiority?
- experience failure
- feelings of inadequacy
- poor prognosis for productivity and happiness
- sense of inferiority
- lack of appreciation for one’s talents and skills
When does the industry vs. inferiority stage take place?
- elementary school age
- competition with others, compare talents and abilities
What is identity?
- know who they are
- sense of identity
- make decisions about personal values and religious questions
- understand who they are and accept and appreciate themselves
What is role confusion?
- fail to develop strong sense of identity
- don’t know who they are
- role confusion
When does the identity vs. role confusion stage take place?
- adolescence
- teenage years
- rapid changes
- turmoil
What is intimacy?
- search for special relationship
- grow emotionally
- develop intimacy
- result in romantic commitment
What is isolation?
- fail to develop intimacy
- emotional isolation
- superficial encounters without satisfaction of closeness
- avoid emotional commitment
- failure to move beyond can inhibit emotional growth and happiness
When does the intimacy vs. isolation stage take place?
- young adulthood
- developing intimate relationships
What is generativity?
- influence children in some way
- sense of generativity
What is stagnation?
- fail to develop generativity
- emptiness and questioning one’s purpose in life
- little pleasure in parenting; bored and dissatisfied with their lives
When does the generativity vs. stagnation stage take place?
- adulthood
- middle years
- concern for guiding the next generation
What is ego integrity?
- look back on their lives with satisfaction
- sense of integrity
What is despair?
- fail to develop integrity
- time is too short
- no more options
- express disgust and contempt for others
When does the ego integrity vs. despair stage take place?
- old age
- reflections on past experiences and the inevitability of life’s end
