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Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Stages

Definition

This is a theory proposed by psychologist Erik Erikson that suggests human development occurs in eight distinct, predetermined stages from infancy to late adulthood. Each stage presents a crisis or conflict which needs to be resolved for the individual to develop healthily.

Analogy

Think of it like going through different levels in a video game. At each level, you face a new challenge (crisis) that you must overcome to move on to the next level. If you don't successfully complete the challenge, you might still move forward, but with some lingering issues.

Related terms

Identity vs Role Confusion: This is one of Erikson's stages occurring during adolescence where individuals grapple with understanding their personal identity and how they fit into society.

Trust vs Mistrust: The first stage in Erikson's theory that occurs during infancy where babies learn whether or not they can trust the world around them based on their caregivers' reliability and care.

Generativity vs Stagnation: A stage in middle adulthood according to Erikson's theory where individuals focus on contributing to society and helping guide future generations or feel stagnant and unproductive.