By: Judith C Carido,R.N.

● Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development is

one of the best-known theories of personality in
psychology.

● Much like Sigmund Freud, Erikson believed that

personality develops in a series of stages.

● Unlike Freud’s theory of psychosexual stages,

Erikson’s theory describes the impact of social
experience across the whole lifespan.
● One of the main elements of Erikson’s psychosocial stage
theory is the development of ego identity.

● Ego identity is the conscious sense of self that we develop

through social interaction.

● According to Erikson, our ego identity is constantly

changing due to new experience and information we
acquire in our daily interactions with others.

● In addition to ego identity, Erikson also believed that a

sense of competence also motivates behaviors and actions.
● Each stage in Erikson’s theory is concerned with
becoming competent in an area of life.

● If the stage is handled well, the person will feel a

sense of mastery, which he sometimes referred to as
ego strength or ego quality

● If the stage is managed poorly, the person will emerge

with a sense of inadequacy.
stage Basic Conflict Important Events Outcome

Stage-1 Children
develop a
sense of trust
-infancy Trust vs. Feeding when
birth to 18 caregivers
months) mistrust provide
reliabilty,
care, and
affection. A
lack of this
will lead to
mistrust.
Stage-2 Children need
to develop a
sense of
personal
Early Autonomy vs. Toilet Training control over
Childhood (2 Shame and physical skills
(to 3 years
Doubt and a sense of
independence.
Success leads
to feelings of
autonomy,
failure results
in feelings of
shame and
.doubt
Stage-3 Children need
to begin
asserting
control and
power over the
Initiative vs. Exploration environment.
Preschool
Guilt Success in this
(3 to 5 years) stage leads to a
sense of
purpose.
Children who
try to exert too
much power
experience
disapproval,
resulting in a
sense of guilt.
Stage-4 Children need
to cope with
new social and
academic
demands.
Industry vs. School
School Age (6 Success leads
Inferiority
(to 11 years to a sense of
competence,
while failure
results in
feelings of
.inferiority
Stage-5

Teens needs to
Adolescenc Identity Social
develop a sense of
vs. Relationships
e (12 to 18
Role self and personal
years)
Confusion identity. Success
leads to an ability
to stay true to
yourself, while
failure leads to role
confusion and a
weak sense of self.
Stage-6 Young adults
need to form
intimate,
young
A dulthood
intimacy vs. relationshi loving
(19 to 40 isolation ps relationships
years with other
people. Success
leads to strong
relationships,
while failure
results in
loneliness and
isolation.
Stage- Adults need to create
7 or nurture things that
will outlast them,
Generativity Work and often by having
Middle vs. Stagnation Parenthood children or creating a
Adulthoo positive change that
d (40 to benefits other people.
(65 years Success leads to
feelings of usefulness
and accomplishment,
while failure results in
shallow involvement
.in the world
Stage-8 Older adults
need to
look back
on life and
Maturity(65 to Ego Integrity Reflection on feel a sense
(death vs. Despair Life of
fulfillment.
Success at this
stage leads to
feelings of
wisdom, while
failure results
in regret,
bitterness,
.and despair