If you've ever heard of the term identity crisis then you've heard something of Erik Erikson. I like his theory of personality development because it doesn't focus solely on childhood development, rather it spans one's entire lifetime. So it's only fitting that he is the leading theorist for the life-span approach to personality development.
Erkison theorises about 8 stage of psychosocial development split up according to one's age. Unlike Freud, Erikson is a lot less pessimistic and maintains that even in the event that one doesn't work through a stage correctly that they can always return to it at a later stage instead of being doomed to go about with lingering side effects from a presumably tainted past.
Each stage deals with its own crisis or developmental task which arise from either the onset of physiological maturity at a certain time or the demands of society. The style or success of the resolution of the different crises therefore determines the structure of one's personality. I obviously haven't been through all the life stages myself quite yet so I'll just do the first few that I have faced, am facing and am about face in the near future.
The first stage deals with trust vs mistrust (0-12 months). This stage is typically dependent on a mother-infant relationship and the successful resolution of this stage results in trust in the world that one's needs will be fulfilled and one also acquires a healthy amount of distrust so as to develop caution. If correctly balanced, one obtains the ego-strength of hope. I think it's safe to say that I made it through this stage relatively unscathed. I'm generally a trusting person but I'm not exactly instantaneously trusting with all of who I am with just any random person. I think I definitely managed to gain the ego-strength of hope - sometimes I think I'm a bit too hopeful in certain situations.
The second stage (1-3 years) is that of autonomy vs shame. This is the stage where children want to develop and use their new-found muscle control (potty training stage). If one doesn't work through this stage correctly, this leads an individual to doubt one's self instead of gaining autonomy or a sense of independence. A balance between autonomy and doubt develops the ego-strength of willpower. I know very well that I have an incredible sense of willpower (especially when I'm trying to prove people wrong) so I think I worked through this stage of development. I do have issues with self- doubt though even though I have been told I was not problematic in regards to potty training and such by my parents... so I'm still unsure as to where my self doubt then comes from. I am rather independent which can be seen through my contentment in living away from home and being in a space where I am responsible for myself and don't have to answer to my parents as I used to.
From 3-6 years, we have the stage of initiative vs guilt and this is also known as the play age. This is where one's conscience develops. The danger in this stage is that one's conscience develops too strictly which I think is what happened to me which has resulted in my habit of intensely over-thinking everything and that is why I judge myself so harshly. A balance between initiative and self-judgement leads to the development of purpose - now that I don't seem to have a problem with. However, I did struggle and still contemplate possible career paths as I am not to sure what I want to do with life. I understand a spiritual purpose because of my Christian upbringing and consequent beliefs but I do not really have a purpose as in a 100% life plan and goal.
School age which is basically from age 6 until puberty, deals with industry vs inferiority. A good sense of proficiency or industry results in the ego-strength of competence. I've dealt with self esteem issues and inferiority complexes before but not to such an extent that it affects my level of competence. I'd like to think that I'm a fairly competent person. Yes? No? Hmmm?
Then we get to adolescence which covers ages 12-19 so this typically the bracket that I fall under but do the fact that I am a borderline age, I will overlap into the next development stage as well. Adolescence deals with identity vs role confusion. This is the time in a persons life when one is trying to match one's self image with the expectations of society. This is basically the stage when we get screwed over by everybody telling who we should be, what we should look like, how little food we have to eat, etc. It's a very delicate time where, in my opinion, so much can go wrong and so much pain can be experienced. It is through this stage that one develops the ego-strength of trust and worthiness. I have yet to develop worthiness as a result of my self image being very very poor. I am a typical case of a victim to society - not because society is particularly or completely negative but mostly because I am just the type of person who is susceptible to society because I seek the approval and acceptance of other people. Therefore I do not feel 'worthy' in a sense that I do not feel that I live up to the expectations or standards set out by our society.
The next stage which is the one that I am entering into or am about to enter into is the early adulthood stage whereby one deals with intimacy vs isolation. This is the time in one's life when they truly become ready to be involved in intimate relationships. Avoidance of intimacy can be as a result of identity confusion experienced in the adolescent stage and can lead to isolation (which is a bad thing if you employ its strategies constantly). Successful resolution of this stage results in the development of the ego-strength love (Isn't that just the cutest thing?). So anyway, this stage is what will hopefully be in my near future. I dare say I'm ready for it... I can only pray that I'll work through everything as I'm supposed to.
I'm not going to go through the last two stages because I'm not an adult with a family or an elderly person... If you're interested in those two stages then feel free to Google Erikson's theory or pop me a comment or a tweet (@JillzyPopz) and I'll be happy to fill you in.
--J.
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