Erik Erikson:

Life and Contributions

GROUP ASSIGNMENT
PERSPECTIVES ON INDIVIDUAL DIMENSIONS

EPGP 2016-17
JAYESH MAHAJAN
NIDHISH GUPTA
NIKHIL SARAF
RACHIT RANA

2016 EPGP 018

2016 EPGP 023
2016 EPGP 024
2016 EPGP 027

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 2
A brief history and development of Erik Erikson .......................................................... 2
Psychoanalytic Training ............................................................................................... 3
Professional Beginning ................................................................................................. 4
Midlife Achievement and Influence ............................................................................. 6
Moving into Old Age ...................................................................................................... 6
Contribution of Erik Erikson in Psychology ................................................................... 7
First stage ....................................................................................................................... 7
Second Stage ................................................................................................................. 7
Third Stage ..................................................................................................................... 8
Fourth Step ..................................................................................................................... 8
Fifth Stage ...................................................................................................................... 9
Sixth Stage ................................................................................................................... 10
Seventh Stage.............................................................................................................. 11
Eighth Stage ................................................................................................................. 12
Comparing the contributions of Erik Erikson with other dominant schools of
thought .............................................................................................................................. 13
Comparison between Erikson's Theory and Carl Roger's Theory ...................... 16
Critical Evaluation & Takeaways .................................................................................. 18
REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................... 20

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

Introduction
Someday, maybe, there will exist a well-informed, well considered and yet
fervent public conviction that the most deadly of all possible sins is the
mutilation of a childs spirit; for such mutilation undercuts the life principle of
trust, without which every human act, may it feel ever so good and seem ever so
right is prone to perversion by destructive forms of conscientiousness.
- Erik Erikson
Erik Erikson, born as Erik Salomonsen in 1902 near Frankfort, Germany to Danish
parents, is regarded as a champion developmental psychologist and stands apart with
his developmental theory and approach in formulating eighth psychosocial stages in
which humans develop through as they grow both physically and mentally.
His study and subsequently modified theory had a cornerstone as to how a human life
passes from infancy into senior adulthood. While passing through every cycle, the
individual encounters and overcomes new challenges with every subsequent stage
building on the successful completion of the previous step keeping in mind the fact that
the challenges of an unfulfilled stage can reappear as trouble in future. With a vast array
of interests, he studied combat crises among battered United States soldiers in World
War II, child-rearing practices among the Sioux in South Dakota and the Yurok along
the Pacific Coast, the play of disturbed and normal children, the conversations of
troubled adolescents suffering identity crises, and social behavior in India. His later
works reflected the rapid social American changes and he avidly wrote on issues such
as the generation gap, racial tensions, juvenile delinquency, changing sexual roles, and
the dangers of nuclear war. [1]

A brief history and development of Erik Erikson

Erikson's mother, Karla Abrahamsen, hailed from a Jewish family in Copenhagen,
Denmark. Whilst she married a Jewish stockbroker Valdemar Isidor Salomonsen, she
became estranged with him and was living separately from him while Erik was
conceived. After discovering her pregnancy, Karla went to Frankfurt, Germany, where
she gave birth to Erik on June 15, 1902 and gave him the surname Salomonsen.
Subsequently, in 1905 Karla married the Jewish pediatrician Theodor Homburger who
attended to Erik. Three years later, in 1908, Erik Salomonsen's name was rechristened
to Erik Homburger and in 1911, Erik was officially adopted by his stepfather Theodor.
[1][11]

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

As a young kid, Erik displayed talent as an artist and was encouraged by his mothers
artist friends to pursue this field. While Eriks stepfather wished him to be a pediatrician,
Erik decided to seek the life of an art student roaming around from his late teens, until
twenty-five years of age. Eventually, when he realized that he did not have enough
talent to become a full-time artist, he returned to become an art teacher at Karlsruhe. A
friend of Eriks namely Blos told him about an interesting proposition in Vienna, where
the daughter of the well-established psychologist Sigmund Freud, Anna had befriended
a wealthy American heiress, Dorothy Tiffany Burlingham, who needed a tutor for her
four children. Erik was initially hired to sketch the children but then took over their
tutoring assignment. The children and both women were impressed by Eriks
competence and empathy. Other members of the Freud circle and patients also wanted
their children to be educated. Blos was invited to set up a small psychoanalytically
oriented school with him and Erik as faculty. [1]

Psychoanalytic Training
In 1927 when Erik joined Blos in Vienna, he did not know much about Psychoanalysis
but this was a good opportunity to get to know the Freuds. Sigmund Freud had
proposed a new theory of anxiety and its use by the ego to keep the personality in line.
Anna Freud was starting with the development of self, building on the concepts of her
father about unconscious defenses to understand how adolescents cope with inner and
outer threats to develop their psychology. [1][11]
Anna was keen on expanding her practice of child analysis by psychiatrists trained
psychoanalytically or by analysts not from the trait of psychiatrists. She offered Erik
Homburger a nearly free training analysis based on his competence which Anna
observed while Erik was teaching the young children. With reluctance, he accepted her
offer but had no plans to practice as a psychoanalyst.
Erik had least of the interactions with Sigmund Freud but learnt his psychoanalytic
theory from reading Sigmund Freuds works and practicing directly from Anna Freud
and from seminars at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute.
As Eriks ideas about psychoanalytic theory and practice began to become concrete, he
offered them politely and thoughtful manner, avoiding the former disciples of Sigmund
Freud who turned against Freuds work. In Lawrence Friedmans accurate
characterization, Erik engaged in a process of embracing while amplifying and subtly
criticizing, not only as a student but throughout the psychoanalytic career.[12]

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

Professional Beginning
In Viennese during a masked ball in 1929, Erik met Joan Serson, a Canadian-American
teacher and student of modern dance. They fell in love, moved-in together, and married
after they found that Joan was pregnant. Joan, an Episcopalian, doubted the value of
psychoanalysis, and did not like Anna Freud. Nonetheless she believed in Eriks
capabilities, brought order to his life, and gradually helped him develop eloquence in his
writing the English writing, which Erik might not have achieved if not for Joan as he was
not strong in the language. Erik along with Joan decided to leave Vienna after Erik
finished his clinical training and became a full time member of both the Vienna
Psychoanalytic Society and the International Psychoanalytical Association. Erik studied
about the Montessori education. In 1933 Erik received diploma from the Vienna
Psychoanalytic Institute. These were the only earned academic credentials Erik had for
his life's work. [1][11]
Erik wanted to establish his independent psychoanalytic practice outside the
supervision of the Freuds. With the increasing power of Nazis in Austria and Germany,
Joan was against raising the children in such a politically unstable environment. In1933
they left Vienna heading to Copenhagen, where Erik still had a number of maternal
relatives. Erik also had a hope to find his birth father. Danish Government was not in
favour of Psychoanalysis and so Erik was refused a work permit. Hanns Sachs who
was an early disciple of Freud, who had moved to Boston, encouraged Erik to setup up
child analysis practice in Boston. So, rather returning to the Vienna, Erik along with
Joan and their two sons reached America in late 1933.
With English as a short coming, Erik quickly gained a strong reputation as a child
analyst. He was becoming successful in treating several adults as well. Even though
Erik did not have any higher-educational degree (or indeed any degree except his
graduation from the Gymnasium, Karlsruhe and a diploma for Montessori education) he
got a part-time professional positions in several clinics. The most significant was when
Erik was hired by Henry A. Murray to join as the staff of the Harvard Psychological
Clinic. [1][11]
Primary purpose of the clinic was not treating people but researching about testing
psychoanalytic concepts and other personality related approaches. Without wasting too
much time, Murray made Erik a member of the Diagnostic Council of the center, an elite
group of experts in one or another approach to personality assessment.
Murray asked Erik to apply a modified version of a technique, to the centers Harvard
undergraduate volunteer subjects, that Erik had already used successfully with children.
This technique involved the child patient to create a doll family out of clay and then act
out various family interactions among the dolls. Erik was listed on the title page as one

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

of the Murrays coauthors, under the name of Erik Homburger, when the results of the
major study of the center were published in 1938 as the now-classic volume
Exploration in Personality. By then Erik had a daughter also and his family had moved
on. [1][11]
Henry Murray did not want Erik to leave but Erik was inclined to work which the
experiment-oriented Harvard psychology department was not going to let him do. For
this reason Erik moved to Yale. When he joined Yale he changed his last name
Homburger (stepfathers name) to the self-created Erikson. He did not remove the
name Homburger but kept it as the middle name, to honor his stepfathers
contributions for his upbringing. He thought of Erikson recognizing his birth father
who, according to some Copenhagen rumors, shared the given name of Erik. Erik and
Joan took the name Erikson when they became naturalized US citizens in the year
1938. Later they gave the name to their children also, who felt good because now other
children will not tease them as Hamburger anymore. This was one of the reasons Erik
Erikson later applied for the change in the family name as Erikson. [1]
Erik lasted no longer at Yale than at Harvard. By now, however, his reputation had
spread by far. His cross-cultural expeditions added to his knowledge about contrasting
observations of childhood in Germany, Austria, and America. During World War II, he
provided U.S. government agencies with analysis of German national character. This
included the charismatic appeal of Adolf Hitler to German youth. [1][11]
UC Berkeley did not renew Eriksons appointment due to his personal conflict with the
sponsoring faculty. During most of the 1940s Erikson financially gained through private
clinical practice in the San Francisco. He also wrote many important papers, which
began to look as the foundation for his first book. His growing professional reputation
and the news of his upcoming book, along with a competing offer from Yale, led UC
Berkeley to offer him a full professorship in 1949 which was a commendable
achievement for a person who did not have a formal degree and who started learning
English at an age of 31. Erik was delighted to receive such recognition and accepted
the offer. After a year in this prestigious new position, Erik was part of a faculty protest
against a loyalty oath imposed by the UCs Board. He resigned his professorship along
with several other members of the psychology department. For several months, he was
working as a temporary researcher at Berkeley, but then moved back to the Northeast.
[1]

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

Midlife Achievement and Influence

In October 1950, Erikson published his first and most influential book, Childhood and
Society. The book was not a systematic pen down of his ideas but included examples
from all his psychoanalytic research and writing. His book was not an immediate best
seller, but within a decade, the Eriksonian psychosocial stages were recognized by
many psychologists and other professionals dealing with mental health, as a good way
to organize thinking about major turning points across the individuals life cycle. [1][11]
He joined the clinical staff of the Austen Riggs Center, a private psychiatric hospital in
Massachusetts. He was given less patients, mostly troubled youth who provided case
material for his research of identity issues, and was allowed substantial time to write. He
became a great writer during his tenure at Austen Riggs, most significantly producing
his first full-length psychobiography, Young Man Luther (1958). [1]
After spending most of the 50s decade at the Austen Riggs Center, Erikson was offered
a position at Harvard University. This position was designed considering his work and
area of expertise. He was appointed as a full-time professor of human development, a
title that Erik chose. He had no obligations to any academic department and had the
freedom to teach on the topics of his expertise. He was also made a lecturer in the
Harvard Medical Schools department of psychiatry, even though he had no medical
degree. As Erikson remarked in his Autobiographic Notes on the Identity Crisis, he
had come the closest of being a pediatrician (his stepfathers original aim for him)
without studying at a medical school. [1][11]
Eriksons focus in his next book was on the seventh stage of his life cycle, generativity
vs stagnation. The Stage Seven issues did not hurt Erikson anymore because after
Joan gave birth to a Down syndrome child in 1944, Erik directed that the child be placed
in a private institution where the child died in 1965. Gandhis Truth (1969) written by him
is a psychobiography about a revolutionary figure who resolves a developmental crisis
of his own life by initiating a major movement that changed the culture around him.
[1][11]

Moving into Old Age

Erikson retired from the Harvard teaching faculty in 1970, but did not stop writing.
Although he did not complete any psychobiography anymore but he wrote thoughtful
shorter works on Thomas Jefferson and on Jesus. Joan helped Erik to write about the
later stages of the life cycle. His most interesting treatment of the final stage, dealing
with the crisis he called ego integrity versus despair, was a paper he had originally
developed for his Harvard undergraduate course as a commentary on the Ingmar
Bergman 1957 Swedish film Wild Strawberries. [1]

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

In his late seventies Erik thought to write a full-scale autobiography, in which he wanted
to illustrate the final stage of psychosocial development. But he could not do it; as he
moved into his eighties, his memories and his thoughts began to fade. As he had done
throughout his life, he kept moving places after every few years. During his last years he
was unable to recall much. He died in Cape Cod on 12 May 1994 at an age of 91. His
wife continued to write about the life cycle until her own death three years later. [1]

Contribution of Erik Erikson in Psychology

Erik Erikson worked in Ego Psychology and develops theory of human development.
His main and important contribution is providing framework to understand development
of human and influence on or from society on development. Erikson did prove that
general pattern of development exist in across cultures. The frame work helps us to
understand insights of development. It also helps to understand balance between
extremes and develop a better society.
Though he has influenced by Sigmund Freud, Erikson argued that Human developed
throughout the life. His work and theory deal with 'Epigenetic principle'. He believed that
human development functions by epigenetic principle. Erikson defined eight stages of
development. At each stage future progressed is influenced by success in earlier
stages. If natural order of development is disturbed, whole development process will be
hampered. Erikson believed that a well manage stage will develop strength that will help
to live better life. [9][10]

First stage
This stage begins at birth of child and lasts for a year and a half of life. In this stage
child develops the trust on his mother as mother feeds him when he is hungry and gets
comfort. Parents responses teach him to learn his body. At same time overprotective
parents may harm childs ability to differentiate trust and mistrust. Erikson cited that
mistrust is also necessary to distinguish who are trust worthy and who are not. On the
other hand, if mistrust is developed in childs mind, then child may face depression.
Balance between trust and mistrust, develops child who believes in hope. This helps
him to go through difficult period of life in later days. [9]

Second Stage
This stage duration is eighteen months to three year. Erikson illustrates stage as
Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt. In this stage child develop self-control without
damaging self-esteem. A freedom to explore environment will help child a sense of
autonomy. Child may develop shame and doubt if trust is not develop properly or parent

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

are too protective with rule book. Simultaneously little shame and doubt are necessary
to control impulsiveness. [1][9][10]
You see a child play, and it is so close to seeing artist paint, for in play a child
says things without uttering a word. You can see how he solves his problems.
You can also see what's wrong. Young children, especially, have enormous
creativity, and whatever's in them rises to the surface in free play. - Erik Erikson

Third Stage
This stage comes in play age. It starts from three or four to five or six. This stage is very
important to learn initiative without guilt. Initiative is must to overcome challenges faced
in daily life. Parent plays important role by motivating child with his own ideas. Parents
need to accommodate childs curiosity and imagination. Combination of play and
education help the child to see the future and prepare for tomorrow. Child may ask lot of
questions out of curiosity and one should encourage him to poke new. It will help to
keep burning desire of knowledge and develop his own idea of skills, a future he would
like to be. At the same time, the child must have sense what act leads to guilt.
Erikson stated about oedipal experience at this stage. Erikson explained it as child
might show discomfort while coming close to opposite sex parent. While hurrying grown
up process, child may be planted with guilt in his mind. At the same time too much
initiative and little guilt lead to what Erikson called as ruthlessness. A ruthless person
steps upon every step without caring about others. Their sole aim becomes to achieve
goals. Ruthlessness might be bad for others but for that person it might come as
blessing to achieve success in life. On other hand guilt causes which Erikson calls
inhibition. The inhibited person may be frigid.
A good balance leads to the strength which will help to fulfill purpose. Purpose gives
meaning to one life for which most wont find in lifetime. A purpose can develop through
imagination and initiative. [9]

Fourth Step
Erikson described this stage as latency stage. The stage describes development need
of school going child of age typically six to twelve. At this stage of development child
expected to dedicate to education and to acquire skills to do well in society. Child
interact with larger crowd now comprises not only parents and family members but also
teachers, neighbors and other society members. Everyone plays different role in child
development. For example, child looks to parent for encouragement, teachers take
cares and importantly friends and other society members start accepting the child.
During stage child will try to execute plan and get sense of success and joy of it. [9]
Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

The best way to differentiate between third stage and fourth stage is observing how
child plays the game. Four year old, typical for third stage, would not follow rule of game
and rarely play till end. He may through pieces of Jig Saw puzzle instead of arranging in
order to complete it. An eight year old typically at fourth stage of development, will
definitely obey the rules and would like to complete the game. Completion of game
successfully, will give him more joy out of accomplishment.
If child did not enjoy success at this stage because of strict teacher or bulling friend or
peer, he will develop inferiority. As Alfred said 'if at first you don't succeed, don't ever try
again'. Many of us deter to do a thing if we failed in first few attempts and we would not
know real meaning of success. This will develop inferiority complex, leading to person
become inert.
Erikson further explained inferiority as belief of success coming out of who are you
rather than how you do. This inferiority will arise due to society discrimination such as
Racism (White considered superior over others) and Sexism (Good looking consider
himself above others).
There are some children who behave like adult and confine themselves to one or other
activity only. Parent or teachers of such children burden children to excel in one activity
or competence. This hampers development of other interest of children. These children
don't enjoy life but mere an order obeying person like Child actors and young sports
person etc. Though such children may appear happy and enjoying, a closer look may
reveal their sorrow. Erikson called this as too much Industry exposure and child
behavior as narrow virtuosity. [9]
Erikson explained right balance between Industry exposure and inferiority will keep child
under development humble and competent.

Fifth Stage
Stage of adolescence as Erikson named, is most Erikson interested in. Stage starts at
beginning of teenage and ends around age of eighteen or maximum twenty year. The
stage is helpful to develop identity and avert confusion over role. This stage lead
Erikson's thinking about all the other stages. [9][10]
Ego help one find his own identity and image that your society found useful and
meaningful. All it takes is to mold your learning and skill to role fit in society. Though this
is most difficult and crucial part of life, good role models, homogeneous and open
culture, communication and peaceful environment helped one to identify role.
Erikson cited importance of passage rites. Those are rituals and tradition society may
follow to distinguish childhood with no power and responsibility to adulthood with power
and responsibility. In ancient India, boy asked to out to jungle and live on his own for
few days or months. In a way he was tested for capability to perform duties to perform in

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

society. In modern days, graduation ceremony makes one realized about end of
carefree, enjoyment time and stepping in adulthood. Such events only boost confidence
in one about his identity and role in society.
If confusion about role play arises and confronted with role confusion, identity crisis
arises. Erikson suggested taking out time for him to know and explore himself. A
refreshing break from daily routine and trip to naturally beautiful places will help. He
called it as psychosocial moratorium.
Other side of too much ego identity leaves no room for tolerance. Erikson gave named it
as fanaticism. A fanatic will chant my way or highway. A fanatic will impose his beliefs
and life style on others.
Erikson refers repudiation as lack of identity. Repudiate person refuse his identity. He
tries to forfeit his identity as individual and to hide behind a group such as religious
extremes, hippies and militants. Such group is dangerous to society and any individual
who submerged in group will be hard to bring back on correct or right path that society
like to. But even after hiding behind the group, though not individual but as group they
search for identity BAD or GOOD.
Erikson warned that this is last stage from where upon an individual can bring back to
main stream from extremes. He called it as 'Fidelity'. He explained fidelity as loyalty,
individual own wish and desire to obey society standards. Fidelity helps person to find a
place and role for an individual by virtue of which he can contribute positively in society.
A right mix of ego identity and role play leads to idols that society treats as role model
and try to follow.

Sixth Stage
This stage deals with young adulthood aged between eighteen to thirty. Individual at
this stage differ dramatically from what he was as child. This stage is very important to
balance between intimacy and isolation. [9][10]
As Erikson explained, individual ability to develop relation as lover or friend is term as
intimacy. If individual already passed fifth stage successfully, he has scene of his
identity opposite to adolescents. Immaturity at this stage can be observed from fear of
commitment. A teenage relationship matured at this stage and both individual can take
call how they want to progress. Successful developed individuals in earlier stage would
covert teenage relation to lifelong relationship. Two young individual together will try to
develop and contribute larger than individual alone. At the same time relationship
between an older and younger may give chance of exploitation of younger but depend
on how much older is matured.
Todays society asked too much from individual leaving very small space to develop an
intimate relationship. People tend to isolated from their childhood friends, school

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

teachers and many other with whom they grown up. This isolation slowly leads to lose
faith in social community. This is mainly contributed by society you live in and what it
demands from you. A typical urban society demands to prove individual and there will
always a competition among individuals. Whereas a typical rural society is more
homogeneous where peoples are very close to each other.
Erikson calls too much intimacy as promiscuity. It can be explain as one can relate with
other very freely and easily. Other person may interpret it wrongly and can lead it
sorrow ending.
On other hand if one try to remain lonely and treat himself as sorry guy because of
others, Erikson term it as Exclusion. He refers it as individual inclination to keep
distance from any sort of relationship like love, friendship or social gathering.
A successful negotiation between intimacy and exclusion will give lifelong strongest
strength, Erikson called it as Love. He explains Love as ones ability to bridge
differences and devote better relationship that helps to progress society. Love will result
successful marriages, ideal neighborhood, successful enterprise and successful and
developed nation.

Seventh Stage
This stage addresses development of people age between mid-twenties and late forties.
This is stage most of people engage in raising the children and hence important to
shape new generation. In this stage people pass love into future called Generativity
development. Generativity is very crucial for next and future generation. One needs to
differentiate love in intimacy stage and love in generativity. Love during intimacy is love
between two equals and reciprocate from either individual. There is slight selfishness.
But in generativity reciprocation of love is not expected and love is showered from one
side i.e. from parents on children. [9][10]
Parenthood is one way of generativity. Erikson terms every activity that contributes in
welfare of society such as arts, invention, social work, teaching and performing arts as
generativity. [9]
There will be some people who will little contribute in generativity. It can be explained by
self-absorption. The person is literally stagnant. Such person never contributes in
society. Erikson termed it as Overextension. Overextension arises from excessive
generativity. A person involved in generativity causes like social work he wont find time
for relaxation and himself. Fatigue arise from overstretch, slowly cause person to
contribute lesser and lesser and push person towards stagnation.
Extreme end of stagnation and little generativity give rise what Erikson called
'Rejectivity'. The more common term is 'midlife crisis'. This crisis arises solely because
people think about themselves only and not about their children, partners and friends.

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

Otherwise people would have asked from whom I did rather than what they did. They try
to aim what they intended when they were think to be during younger days. More they
try to search for such things more they lost [9]
Success at this stage can be achieved through higher generativity but at same time
allocating some time for own personal things. This is stage where you can balance
between your ambitions and what you achieved. A small time for oneself will give a
window for relaxation, meet friends and peers whom you lost during race of success
and develop interest and hobbies through which you can enjoy yourself. A success at
this stage will helped to live last days of life in peace, calm and with filling of
accomplishment. These people will pass legacy to next generation and they do next. In
this way society flourishes and develops.

Eighth Stage
This is last stage of development that Erikson referred. One can call it as old age or late
adulthood. The stage starts around somewhere at late fifties or around sixties. Erikson
argued that reaching at this stage is itself a success as one already successfully
developed in earlier stages. This stage deals with what Erikson called as Ego integrity
and Despair. This stage is one most of difficult to deal with. Firstly, at this stage most of
people are retired from job or pass on their business to next generation. Those who
involved in parenthood (such as housewife) and managing home found that their duties
are now over. Most of time society doesnt need their inputs. Secondly, at this stage
body slowly start too given up. Women passed through painful menopause, eliminating
their womanhood. Most of people came across long lasting illness through diabetes,
cancer, heart problems and fragile bones. A fear is develop about life which otherwise
would not in youth. Most importantly fear of death overshadow as one witness death of
friend, relative or spouse. All this lead to people at this stage into despair. [9][10]
Erikson explained that overcome despair one has to deal with Ego integrity.
Ego integrity means one acquiesce to life. One has to look back and identify and accept
accomplishment one has during life, despair will not come. One has to accept whatever
loss or mistake happened that was in course of life. If those would not be there, one
would not accomplish what he did. Instead of crying on lost opportunities, one should
look upon gains considering all circumstances. If there would not be failures or
mistakes, life would be plain and not enjoyable as it is.
Erikson called one has strength of 'Wisdom' to someone who accepted all achievement
and failure in life without regret at this stage of life. Erikson called wisdom as gift to
children. Most simple and humble people are most gifted with wisdom as they come to
term with life. These people teach most important lesson dealing with life and death.

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

Comparing the contributions of Erik Erikson with other dominant

schools of thought
Sigmund Freud; 6 May 1856 23 September 1939, was an Austrian neurologist and the
father of psychoanalysis, a methodology for treating psychopathology through dialogue
between a patient and a psychoanalyst. [2] He is often referred to as the father of
psychology. He qualified as a doctor of medicine in 1881 at the University of Vienna. [2]
Erik Erikssons work on psychosocial theory is known to been influenced by the
Sigmund Freuds psychosexual theory. While Erikssons was influenced by the work
done by Freud, their theories differ in a number of ways.
As is the case with Freuds psychosexual theory, Erikssons psychosocial theory
describes the personality development as a set of pre-defined stages. However, unlike
Freud, Eriksson theory describes the impact of social experience across the lifespan of
an individual.
As per the Psychosexual Development theory, Freud's called the period between the
children being born to the one year as the oral stage, where the childs primary source
of pleasure is via mouth, be it satisfaction derived from the pleasure of feeding at the
mother's breast, and from the oral exploration of his or her environment.[3] However,
Erickson called this stage as the trust versus mistrust stage, when the child develops a
sense of security on the basis of the parents response towards his behavior. The care
that the adults provide determines whether the children develop this towards the world
around them. Children which do not receive adequate care develop mistrust of the
others.
Between the age of one and three, which the psychosexual development theory calls
the anal stage of development, this is when the erogenous zone moves from the
mouth to the anus. During this period the child gains the mastery of controlling the
bladder and bowel movements, at this stage the child faces the dilemma between
demanding instant gratification and demanding delayed gratification in eliminating bodily
waste. The style of parenting influences the resolution of the conflict, the ideal being the
child adjusting to the moderate parental demands, which teach him the value of physical
cleanliness, environmental order, leading to self-control. If the parents make
immoderate demands of child in toilet training, it might lead to compulsive personality.
Eriksson called this stage in the child growth as autonomy versus shame and doubt
stage, in which the child develops self- sufficiency by controlling activities such as

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

eating and toilet training. Those children which succeed at this stage develop a sense of
independence, while those who struggle will be left doubting themselves.
Between the ages three and six, which Freud referred to as the phallic stage of
development, this is when the erogenous zone moves from the anus to the child's
genitalia. At this stage the children become aware of their bodies, the body of the other
children and the body of their parents. The boy experiences what he termed as the
Oedipus complex while girls experience the Electra complex. Erikson terms this period
as the Initiative versus guilt stage. At this stage the child begins to take control of his
environment, like dressing himself. Those children who are successful at this stage feel
a sense of accomplishment and those who struggle are left with a sense of guilt.
Between the age seven to eleven, which Freud referred to as the latent period of
development, at this stage the libido is suppressed and the child derives pleasure from
external activities such as schooling, friendship, hobbies etc. This is an important stage
in child development as it impacts the self-confidence of the child. Erikson calls this
stage the industry versus inferiority stage; at this stage the child can recognize major
disparities between the abilities of his own versus the abilities of others. Erickson places
special emphasis on the role of the teacher, for the child to succeed in developing a
sense of pride.
The stage at which the child hits adolescence, Freud referred to this stage as the
genital stage and it spans through the life of the adult life. In this stage the child
detaches from the parents and begins to explore romantic relationships. The goal of this
stage is to develop balance in all spheres of life. The individuals who have usefully
completed the previous stages no have a well-balanced and caring life. Erikson refers to
the stage between adolescence and to adulthood as identity versus role confusion
stage. At this stage the children begin to question themselves, who am I? wWhere do I
go from here? And in the process develop a personal identity. Hos who receive support
and encouragement will emerge strong with a sense of purpose. However, if constantly
pushed by their parents face identity confusion.
Largely speaking the frauds theory largely focuses on the period between birth and
adolescence. As per the theory of Psychosexual Development the genital stage lasts
throughout adulthood, with the goal to develop balance between life areas. Whereas,
Eriksons theory includes three more stages which span adulthood:

Intimacy vs Isolation: this stake lasts between the ages of 18-35. Dating, family,
love and companionship are a part of this stage.
Generativity vs Stagnation: the second stage of adulthood between the ages of
35 to 64. During this period the individuals are enjoying raising their children. If

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

Figure 1 : Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

the person is not comfortable during this stage of their life they look back at the
past with a sense of uselessness.
Integrity vs Despair: This is the stage which sets in post 65 years of age. The
older adults reflect back on their lives with a sense of bitterness or fulfillment.[4]

Abraham Harold Maslow an American psychologist a contemporary of Eriksson, best

known for creating Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Though his theory did discuss the
human life and aspirations in stages like Eriksson, he proposed a series of motivational
stages each building on the previous one.
According to Maslow the human has multiple needs, of varying importance. The
aspiration for a higher order need arises only when the lower order need has been
satisfied. The various stages of the development as per Maslows Theory of hierarchical
needs are as below:

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

Physiological needs: These include the basic necessity for human existence,
like food, water, sleep sex and alike.

Safety: once the absolute necessary has been achieved the human aspires for
the higher order needs like personal and financial security, financial wellbeing
and healthy living.

Love and affection/Affiliation needs: once the physiological and safety needs
have been fulfilled, the human seeks to fulfill his hunger for affection, need for
friendship, intimacy and family.

Esteem: It represents the human desire to be admired by the others; people

indulge in profession and hobbies to for this. If this stage is unfulfilled the person
id left with an inferiority complex.

Self-actualization: This is what a man seeks when he has achieved the rest of
his basic human needs. This is when a human seeks to reach his maximum
potential.

The hierarchy of needs theory talks about the human progression through the various
stages of life, based on circumstances and achievements, as opposed to Erikson who
proposed a series of pre-determined stages, which were time related and during each
stage the individual develops traits either beneficial or detrimental to him.[5][6][7]

Comparison between Erikson's Theory and Carl Roger's Theory

Though Erikson's theory was influenced by Fred's theory, he was the first to propose
eight stages of human development. He believed that every child has its own ego and
its ego that drive his progress. The progress highly influenced not only by parents but
also by other social factors like schools, friends, neighbors and role models. Erikson
basically deals with psychosocial theory.
Carl Rogers is the first person and hence father of psychodynamic model of humanistic
theory. He believed in positive approach and emphasized on internal growth. He argued
that theory is applicable to not only to human but also equally on animals. He stated that
there is no predetermine stages of development. It was a continual process that
happened throughout the life. He treat people came to him for counseling as client and
not patients. Roger drives the theory based on his experience during his clinic career.
According to Erikson any person will try to grow and achieve higher position in society
at stage 7, the stage where person age around thirty. Whereas Roger argued that
development and hence thrust to grow in higher order is found right from childhood and

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

it last long throughout the life. He also mentioned that thrust is common for all human,
animal and even trees and plants. His experience with Potato is famous for that.
Erikson state that a successful completion of seventh stage will give enough strength
and correct path to person so that he can contribute in society. Persons actions, goals
and behavior will give competence to do better jobs in world. Any failure at this stage
will only push person in isolation. Such person will be burden on society as he will not
able to contribute in growth of society.
On contrary Roger advocate those early years of child influenced progress of child in
adulthood. He stated that if parents criticize too much or show very low love and
affection during early year of child, serious psychology problem arises in adult hood.
This can be observed in drug addicts or serial killers. Humanistic theory state that
people see themselves based on experiences they had. To accomplish the goals, a
person must be homogeneous, honest and true to his senses. A sense to grow and rise
in upper ladder or to achieve goals can be lost if a person dont find any positivity during
childhood.
Erikson gave importance to stage seven as this is crucial stage to pass culture values to
next generation. Parents typically engaged in raising of child at this stage. Erikson
termed Generativity. Generativity is very crucial for next and future generation. Erikson
terms every activity that contributes in welfare of society such as arts, invention, social
work, teaching and performing arts as generativity. Severe development crises can
arise if person did not experience generativity during childhood and as an adult he will
be introvert and self-absorbed.
On the other hand, though Roger acknowledged the importance of influence of
childhood on progress in adulthood, he state that development problems in adulthood
can be overcome if person got purpose and meaning of life. He explained that selfconcept a persons wish to grow and rise to a ladder, can help person. If one level of
self-concept achieved, it will be replaced by other level and hence process continue.
Rogers theory about self-esteem accepted by all psychologist, major psychologist are in
option that Erikson finding are more important and humanity is based on Erikson's
theory. Both theories are similar in some areas. Both theory stresses importance of
good childhood experiences shaped adulthood. Erikson categorized development in
stages whereas Rogers approaches theory behind development as continual progress.
Most of time Erikson do not provide alternative if any one do not succeed stage of
development. Whereas Roger believes in a person, his choices and self-concept,
Erikson's theory can be witnessed across the cultures and patterns. Erikson drew the
finding through his personal experiences with children, students, adults and different
society members that he came across at different places across Europe and America.
Rogers draw his theory solely from interactions happened with his patients at his clinic.
Limitation of his theory is that it cant be tested for all cultures.

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

Critical Evaluation & Takeaways

Erikson acknowledged the basic premises of Freuds theory, but contested that Freud
missed few important aspects of human development. He impressed that humans keep
evolving throughout their life span, while Freud stressed that our personality is shaped
by the time one reaches five. Erikson developed eight psychosocial stages that humans
encounter throughout their life. The different cycles are Trust vs. Mistrust, Autonomy vs.
Shame and Doubt, Initiative vs. Guilt, Industry vs. Inferiority, Identity vs. Role Confusion,
Intimacy vs. Isolation, Generativity vs. Stagnation, and Integrity vs. Despair. Erikson
was of the opinion that development is actually qualitative since changes are stage like,
but quantitative as well, owing to the fact that as one's identity gets stronger,
simultaneously, one's convictions crystallize and become concrete. Erikson became
convinced that nature determines the order of the stages and sets the barriers within
which nurture functions. However, all must go via one stage before they embark onto
the next in the stated order. [13]
Every adult, whether he is a follower or a leader, a member of a mass or of elite,
was once a child. He was once small. A sense of smallness forms a substratum in
his mind, ineradicably. His triumphs will be measured against this smallness; his
defeats will substantiate it. - Erik Erikson
The quotes of Erikson reflect the notion that his theory has valid and acceptance and
value. A lot of people relate to his theories regarding various stages of the life cycle
from their own experiences. Erikson in the year 1964 acknowledged that this theory is
more of a descriptive understanding of human, social and emotional development that
does not completely explain the basis of this development. For instance, Erikson does
not completely explain how the output of one psychosocial stage influences personality
at a subsequent stage of life. He is not explicitly clear regarding the causes of
development or the types of experiences that a person must possess to successfully
solve various psychosocial conflicts and graduate among different stages. There is a
lack of universal mechanism for crisis resolution in this theory.
Erikson's theory can be questioned as to whether the stages must be regarded as
subsequent and in a defined order, and should occur only within the age ranges he has
suggested. There is this question as to whether people are looking for answers to their
identity only during their adolescent days or if one stage has to first complete before
subsequent can be completed. In defence of his studies, the subject psychologist of this
study came out with the notion that each of these processes transpire during the
lifespan in one form or the other, and he stresses on the "phases" only because it is at
these times that the conflicts become most prominent.

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

The prominent and pragmatic research into Eriksons works connects his views on
adolescence while trying to institute identity. After due deliberations, his academic
approach was held as valid, chiefly about teenage years, by James E. Marcia.
[14] Marcia, whose work has segregated various forms of identity, stated that there is
some empirical evidence that persons who form the most coherent self-concept in
adolescence can make intimate attachments in early adulthood. It endorses the concept
in Eriksonian theory, implying that those best equipped to resolve the crisis of early
adulthood are those who have most properly resolved the crisis of adolescence.
However, Erikson has stressed that his work was a tool to think with rather than a
factual analysis. Its purpose then is to provide framework within which development can
be considered rather than testable theory. One of the strengths of Erikson's theory is its
ability to tie together important psychosocial development across the entire lifespan.
[15]

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions

Erik Erikson: Life & Contributions

REFERENCES
[1] Alan C. Elms - http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Erik_Erikson.aspx
[2] Ford & Urban 1965, p. 109
[3] Noel Sheehy, Alexandra Forsythe (2013). "Sigmund Freud". Fifty Key Thinkers in
Psychology. Routledge. ISBN 1134704933.
[4] http://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html
[5] Erikson, Erik H. (1997). The Life Cycle Completed. Extended version with New
Chapters on the Ninth Stage of Development by Joan H. Erikson. New York: W. W.
Norton, p. 61.
[6] Maslow, A.H. (1943). "Psychological Review 50 (4) 37096 - A theory of human
motivation". psychclassics.yorku.ca.
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs
[8] A-http://www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/erikson.htm, Miller, P. (1983).
Theories of Developmental Psychology. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman and Company,
& Santrock, J.(1996). Child Development. Dubuque, IA: Brown and Benchmark
Publishers.
[9] Dr. G.C. Boeree http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/erikson.html
[10] Wendy Sharkeyhttp://www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/erikson.htm#Theory
[11] Life History and the Historical Moment by Erik H. Erikson (1977)
[12] Freudian theory (1999, p. 88)
[13] A-http://www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/erikson.htm, Miller, P.
(1983). Theories of Developmental Psychology. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman and
Company, & Santrock, J.(1996). Child Development. Dubuque, IA: Brown and
Benchmark Publishers.
[14] Ego Identity: A Handbook for Psychosocial Research 1993, by James E.
Marcia and Alan S. Waterman
[15] Erikson, E. H. (1964). Insight and responsibility. New York: Norton.

Perspectives on Individual Dimensions