Erik Erickson Research Paper

Erik Erikson * June 15, 1902 – May 12, 1994 * Mother- Karla Abrahamsen * He studied the Montessori method of education, which focused on child development. * He became the first child psychoanalyst in Boston. * He is best known with his book, Childhood and Society, in 1950 * Joan Serson Erikson – her wife * Erikson is also credited with being one of the originators of Ego psychology

Theories of development and the ego * Erikson elaborated Freud's genital stage into adolescence, and added three stages of adulthood * He believed that every human being goes through a certain number of stages to reach his or her full development. * He was a neo-Freudian. * He is maybe the most famous for coining
Shame and Doubt - Toddler stage / 1-3 years. Child needs to learn to explore the world. Bad if the parent is too smothering or completely neglectful. * purpose - Initiative vs. Guilt - Preschool / 3-6 years - Can the child plan or do things on his own. If "guilty" about making his or her own choices, the child will not function well. compensated by a sense of accomplishment

* competence - Industry vs. Inferiority - School-age / 6-11. Child comparing self worth to others. Child can recognize major disparities in personal abilities relative to other children. * fidelity - Identity vs. Role Confusion - Adolescent / 12 years till mid twenties. Questioning of self. Who am I, how do I fit in? Where am I going in life? Erikson believes that if the parents allow the child to explore, they will conclude their own identity. * love (in intimate relationships, work and family) - Intimacy vs. Isolation - Young adult / mid twenties till early forties. Who do I want to be with or date, what am I going to do with my life? Will I settle down * caring - Generativity vs. Stagnation - early forties till mid 60’s / starts as the Mid-life crisis. Measure accomplishments/failures. Am I satisfied or