Erikson's Theory of Social Development

Question 1

Main points of the theory

Answer 1

Biological in the belief that there are innate drives to develop social relationships and that these promote survival

Divided life span into 8 stages, each associated with a different drive and a problem or crisis to resolve

Question 2

Stage 1: (Birth to 1)

Answer 2

Trust vs. Mistrust
- Must rely on others for care
- Consistent and dependable caregiving
and meeting infant needs leads to a
sense of trust
- Infants who are not well cared for will
develop mistrust

Question 3

Stage 2: (1 to 3)

Answer 3

Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
- Children are discovering their own independence
- Testing more independence by assuming
more self-responsibilities
- Those given the opportunity to
experience independence will gain a
sense of autonomy
- Children who are overly restrained or
punished harshly will develop shame and
doubt

Question 4

Stage 3: (3 to 5)

Answer 4

Initiative vs. Guilt
- Preschoolers learn to plan out and carry
their own goals
- Sense of accomplishment leads to
initiative
- Feelings of guilt can emerge if the child is made to feel too anxious or irresponsible

Question 5

Stage 4: (5 to 12)

Answer 5

Industry vs Inferiority
- Stage of life surrounding mastery of
knowledge and intellectual skills
- Sense of competence and achievement
leads to industry
- Feeling incompetent and unproductive
leads to inferiority

Question 6

Stage 5: Adolescence

Answer 6

Identity vs. Confusion
- Developing a sense of who one is and
where one is going in life
- Successful resolution leads to a positive
identity
- Unsuccessful resolution leads to identity
confusion or a negative identity

Question 7

Stage 6: Young adulthood

Answer 7

Intimacy vs. Isolation
- Time for sharing oneself with another
person
- Capacity to hold commitments with
others lead to intimacy
- Failure to establish commitments leads
to feelings of isolation

Question 8

Stage 7: Middle Adulthood

Answer 8

Generativity vs. Stagnation
- Caring for others in family, friends, and
work leads to a sense of contribution to
later generations
- Stagnation comes from a sense of
boredom and meaninglessness

Question 9

Stage 8: Late adulthood to death

Answer 9

Integrity vs. despair
- Successful resolutions of all previous
crises lead to integrity and the ability to
see broad truths and devise those in
earlier stages
- Despair arises from feelings of
helplessness and the bitter sense that
life has been incomplete