ERIK ERIKSON

EARLY LIFE

• Born in 1902 near Frankfort, Germany to Danish parents
• Did not enjoy the formal schooling atmosphere
• After traveling, began to teach art to children
• Held positions at institutions, such as Yale and Berkeley

INTERESTS

• Wide range of interests such as:
• combat crises in troubled American soldiers in World War II
• child-rearing practices among the Sioux in South Dakota and the Yurok
• the play of disturbed and normal children
• conversations of troubled adolescents suffering identity crises, and social behavior

CLAIM TO FAME

• Erikson's theory was called the developmental theory
• Based on Freud but strays from some criteria
• Erikson said that humans develop throughout their life span
• developed eight psychosocial stages that humans encounter throughout their
• Lives

8 PSYCHOLOGICAL STAGES

• Trust vs. Mistrust
• Autonomy vs. Shame
• Initiative vs. Guilt
• Industry vs. Inferiority
• Identity vs. Role confusion

STAGES CONTINUED

• Intimacy vs. Isolation
• Generativity vs. Stagnation
• Integrity vs. Despair