Psychosocial Development

Erik Erikson was a German-American psychologist and psychoanalyst who is best known for his theory of psychosocial development. Erikson's theory posits that humans go through eight stages of development over the course of their lives, with each stage characterized by a psychosocial crisis or challenge that must be resolved in order for healthy development to occur.

The eight stages:

1. Infancy (birth to 18 months): 

Trust vs. mistrust. 

During this stage, infants must develop a sense of trust in their caregivers and the world around them in order to feel safe and secure.

To successfully navigate this stage, infants must develop a sense of trust in their caregivers and the world around them. This is accomplished through consistent, responsive caregiving that meets the infant's physical and emotional needs. For example, when an infant cries, a caregiver who responds quickly and warmly by feeding, changing, or holding the infant is helping to build a sense of trust and security.

Infants who are consistently cared for in this way develop a basic sense of trust that allows them to feel safe and secure in the world. However, infants who experience inconsistent or inadequate caregiving may develop a sense of mistrust and anxiety, which can have negative effects on their psychological and emotional development.

To complete the first stage of psychosocial development and move on to the next stage, infants must develop a sense of trust in their caregivers and the world around them, which is accomplished through consistent, responsive caregiving that meets their physical and emotional needs.

 2. Early childhood (18 months to 3 years):

Autonomy vs. shame and doubt.

During this stage, young children must learn to assert their independence and control over their environment in a way that is appropriate and safe, or they may develop feelings of shame and doubt about their abilities.

To successfully navigate this stage, young children must learn to assert their independence and control over their environment in a way that is appropriate and safe. This includes developing basic skills such as feeding, dressing, and toileting themselves, as well as exploring their environment and making choices about what they want to do and how they want to do it.

When children are encouraged to assert their independence in a positive way, such as through praise and support for their efforts, they develop a sense of autonomy and self-confidence. However, if children are overly criticized or punished for their attempts at independence, they may develop a sense of shame and doubt about their abilities.

To complete the second stage of psychosocial development and move on to the next stage, young children must learn to assert their independence and control over their environment in a way that is appropriate and safe. This is accomplished through encouragement and support for their efforts, which helps to build a sense of autonomy and self-confidence.

3. Preschool age (3 to 6 years): 

Initiative vs. guilt.

During this stage, children begin to explore their environment and develop a sense of purpose and initiative, but they may also feel guilty or anxious about their desires and actions.

To successfully navigate this stage, pre-schoolers must develop a sense of initiative and purpose in their actions and activities. This includes exploring their environment, taking on new challenges, and making plans and goals for themselves.

When pre-schoolers are encouraged to take on new challenges and pursue their interests, they develop a sense of initiative and purpose that helps them to feel confident and capable. However, if they are overly criticized or discouraged from taking risks, they may develop a sense of guilt and shame about their actions and abilities.

To complete the third stage of psychosocial development and move on to the next stage, pre-schoolers must develop a sense of initiative and purpose in their actions and activities. This is accomplished through encouragement and support for their exploration and pursuit of interests, which helps to build a sense of confidence and initiative.

4. School age (6 to 12 years):

Industry vs. inferiority.

During this stage, children must learn to master new skills and take pride in their accomplishments, or they may develop feelings of inferiority or inadequacy.

To successfully navigate this stage, children must develop a sense of competence and mastery in their academic, social, and physical activities. This includes developing skills and knowledge in areas such as reading, writing, math, sports, and hobbies, as well as forming positive relationships with peers and adults.

When children are given opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge and receive recognition for their efforts, they develop a sense of industry and competence that helps them to feel confident and successful. However, if they experience repeated failures or negative feedback, they may develop a sense of inferiority and inadequacy.

To complete the fourth stage of psychosocial development and move on to the next stage, children must develop a sense of competence and mastery in their academic, social, and physical activities. This is accomplished through opportunities for learning and growth, as well as recognition and support for their efforts, which helps to build a sense of industry and competence.

5. Adolescence (12 to 18 years):

Identity vs. role confusion.

During this stage, adolescents must develop a strong sense of identity and self-esteem that can guide them through the challenges of adulthood, or they may become confused and uncertain about who they are and what they want.

To successfully navigate this stage, adolescents must develop a sense of identity and a clear understanding of who they are and what they want to do in life. This includes exploring their interests and values, forming meaningful relationships with others, and making important life decisions such as career and educational goals.

When adolescents are able to explore their identity in a safe and supportive environment and receive guidance and feedback from others, they develop a sense of identity and purpose that helps them to feel confident and secure. However, if they are unable to explore their identity or receive negative feedback, they may experience confusion and doubt about their sense of self.

To complete the fifth stage of psychosocial development and move on to the next stage, adolescents must develop a clear sense of identity and purpose. This is accomplished through exploration of their interests and values, forming meaningful relationships with others, and making important life decisions with guidance and support from others, which helps to build a sense of identity and confidence.

6. Young adulthood (18 to 40 years):

Intimacy vs. isolation.

During this stage, young adults must establish close, meaningful relationships with others or risk feeling isolated and alone.

To successfully navigate this stage, young adults must develop the capacity for intimacy and form close, meaningful relationships with others. This includes forming intimate partnerships, developing close friendships, and establishing supportive networks.

When young adults are able to form intimate relationships based on trust, empathy, and mutual respect, they develop a sense of connectedness and security that helps them to feel fulfilled and supported. However, if they are unable to form these close relationships or experience repeated rejection, they may experience feelings of isolation and loneliness.

To complete the sixth stage of psychosocial development and move on to the next stage, young adults must develop the capacity for intimacy and form close, meaningful relationships with others. This is accomplished through building trust, empathy, and mutual respect with others, which helps to build a sense of connectedness and fulfilment.

7. Middle adulthood (40 to 65 years):

Generativity vs. stagnation.

During this stage, adults must contribute to the next generation and feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment, or they may feel stuck and unfulfilled.

To successfully navigate this stage, adults must develop a sense of generativity or the desire to contribute to society and future generations. This includes establishing a career, raising children, mentoring others, and participating in community activities.

When adults are able to make meaningful contributions to society and future generations, they develop a sense of purpose and accomplishment that helps them to feel fulfilled and satisfied. However, if they are unable to contribute or feel that their contributions are not valued, they may experience feelings of stagnation and unfulfillment.

To complete the seventh stage of psychosocial development and move on to the final stage, middle-aged adults must develop a sense of generativity and contribute to society and future generations. This is accomplished through establishing a career, raising children, mentoring others, and participating in community activities, which helps to build a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

8. Late adulthood (65 years and older):

Integrity vs. despair.

During this stage, older adults must come to terms with their life choices and find a sense of meaning and acceptance in their lives, or they may feel a sense of despair and regret.

To successfully navigate this stage, older adults must develop a sense of integrity or a feeling of completeness and satisfaction with their lives. This includes reflecting on past experiences, accepting life's successes and failures, and coming to terms with one's mortality.

When older adults are able to develop a sense of integrity, they feel a sense of wholeness and satisfaction with their lives, and are able to accept death with a sense of peace. However, if they are unable to develop this sense of integrity and instead experience regret, bitterness, and despair, they may feel a sense of hopelessness and fear about their impending death.

To complete the final stage of psychosocial development and achieve a sense of fulfilment in late adulthood, older adults must develop a sense of integrity and completeness with their lives. This is accomplished through reflecting on past experiences, accepting life's successes and failures, and coming to terms with one's mortality, which helps to build a sense of peace and acceptance about the end of life.

Erikson's theory has been influential in developmental psychology and has been applied to a variety of fields, including education, parenting, and psychotherapy. It is a widely studied and influential model of human development.

This is a theory not fact, there are other theories, but this is the most popular theory so far.

It's possible that considering a situation through the lenses of each stage of Erikson's psychosocial development could help someone prioritize in a fight or flight state. For example, if you're in a stressful or dangerous situation, you might ask yourself:

• Is my sense of trust in the situation being threatened? (Stage 1)
• Do I feel like I have the autonomy and control I need to handle this situation? (Stage 2)
• Am I able to take initiative and make decisions in this situation? (Stage 3)
• Do I feel competent and capable of handling the challenges in this situation? (Stage 4)
• Do I feel like I'm making meaningful contributions to this situation or to others? (Stage 5)
• Am I able to maintain healthy relationships with others in this situation? (Stage 6)
• Do I have a sense of purpose or meaning that can guide me through this situation? (Stage 7)
• Am I able to look back on my life experiences and feel a sense of satisfaction and wisdom? (Stage 8)

By considering these questions, you may be able to identify which stage(s) are most relevant to your current situation, and prioritize your actions accordingly. However, it's important to note that this is just one possible strategy for dealing with stressful situations, and individual responses may vary. 

No theory is absolutely right but some can be useful.