5.

Describe the eight stages of psychosocial development based on its virtue developed core
pathology and outcome in the development of personality.
Erikson described eight stages, each with a major psychosocial task to accomplish or crisis to
overcome. Erikson believed that our personality continues to take shape throughout our life
span as we face these challenges.
1. Trust vs. Mistrust (Hope)—From birth to 12 months of age, infants must learn that
adults can be trusted. This occurs when adults meet a child’s basic needs for survival.
Infants are dependent upon their caregivers, so caregivers who are responsive and
sensitive to their infant’s needs help their baby to develop a sense of trust; their baby will
see the world as a safe, predictable place. Unresponsive caregivers who do not meet
their baby’s needs can engender feelings of anxiety, fear, and mistrust; their baby may
see the world as unpredictable. If infants are treated cruelly or their needs are not met
appropriately, they will likely grow up with a sense of mistrust for people in the world.
2. Autonomy vs. Shame (Will)—As toddlers (ages 1–3 years) begin to explore their world,
they learn that they can control their actions and act on their environment to get results.
They begin to show clear preferences for certain elements of the environment, such as
food, toys, and clothing. A toddler’s main task is to resolve the issue of autonomy vs.
shame and doubt by working to establish independence. This is the “me do it” stage. For
example, we might observe a budding sense of autonomy in a 2-year-old child who
wants to choose her clothes and dress herself. Although her outfits might not be
appropriate for the situation, her input in such basic decisions has an effect on her sense
of independence. If denied the opportunity to act on her environment, she may begin to
doubt her abilities, which could lead to low self-esteem and feelings of shame.
3. Initiative vs. Guilt (Purpose)—Once children reach the preschool stage (ages 3–6
years), they are capable of initiating activities and asserting control over their world
through social interactions and play. According to Erikson, preschool children must
resolve the task of initiative vs. guilt. By learning to plan and achieve goals while
interacting with others, preschool children can master this task. Initiative, a sense of
ambition and responsibility, occurs when parents allow a child to explore within limits
and then support the child’s choice. These children will develop self-confidence and feel
a sense of purpose. Those who are unsuccessful at this stage—with their initiative
misfiring or stifled by over-controlling parents—may develop feelings of guilt.
4. Industry vs. Inferiority (Competence)—During the elementary school stage (ages 7–
12), children face the task of industry vs. inferiority. Children begin to compare
themselves with their peers to see how they measure up. They either develop a sense of
pride and accomplishment in their schoolwork, sports, social activities, and family life, or
they feel inferior and inadequate because they feel that they don’t measure up. If
children do not learn to get along with others or have negative experiences at home or
with peers, an inferiority complex might develop into adolescence and adulthood.
5. Identity vs. Role Confusion (Fidelity)—In adolescence (ages 12–18), children face the
task of identity vs. role confusion. According to Erikson, an adolescent’s main task is
developing a sense of self. Adolescents struggle with questions such as “Who am I?”
and “What do I want to do with my life?” Along the way, most adolescents try on many
different selves to see which ones fit; they explore various roles and ideas, set goals,
and attempt to discover their adult selves. Adolescents who are successful at this stage
have a strong sense of identity and are able to remain true to their beliefs and values in
 the face of problems and other people’s perspectives. When adolescents are apathetic,
do not make a conscious search for identity, or are pressured to conform to their
parents’ ideas for the future, they may develop a weak sense of self and experience role
confusion. They will be unsure of their identity and confused about the future. Teenagers
who struggle to adopt a positive role will likely struggle to find themselves as adults.
6. Intimacy vs. Isolation (Love)—People in early adulthood (20s through early 40s) are
concerned with intimacy vs. isolation. After we have developed a sense of self in
adolescence, we are ready to share our life with others. However, if other stages have
not been successfully resolved, young adults may have trouble developing and
maintaining successful relationships with others. Erikson said that we must have a
strong sense of self before we can develop successful intimate relationships. Adults who
do not develop a positive self-concept in adolescence may experience feelings of
loneliness and emotional isolation.
7. Generativity vs. Stagnation (Care)—When people reach their 40s, they enter the time
known as middle adulthood, which extends to the mid-60s. The social task of middle
adulthood is generativity vs. stagnation. Generativity involves finding your life’s work and
contributing to the development of others through activities such as volunteering,
mentoring, and raising children. During this stage, middle-aged adults begin contributing
to the next generation, often through caring for others; they also engage in meaningful
and productive work which contributes positively to society. Those who do not master
this task may experience stagnation and feel as though they are not leaving a mark on
the world in a meaningful way; they may have little connection with others and little
interest in productivity and self-improvement.
8. Integrity vs. Despair (Wisdom)—From the mid-60s to the end of life, we are in the
period of development known as late adulthood. Erikson’s task at this stage is called
integrity vs. despair. He said that people in late adulthood reflect on their lives and feel
either a sense of satisfaction or a sense of failure. People who feel proud of their
accomplishments feel a sense of integrity, and they can look back on their lives with few
regrets. However, people who are not successful at this stage may feel as if their life has
been wasted. They focus on what “would have,” “should have,” and “could have” been.
They may face the end of their lives with feelings of bitterness, depression, and despair.
Reference: https://www.slideshare.net/marysuemakin/erik-erikson-stages-of-development