The Personal Development Of Erikson's Theory Of Personality Development

Erik Erikson, one of the most famous psychoanalysts in history, is praised for his well known theories of personality development. Much like Sigmund Freud, Erikson believed in childhood being an essential period of personality growth that can be divided into stages. While Freud’s theories were psychosexual discoveries, Erikson 's theory details the impact of social behavior throughout one’s whole life. An important element in Erikson 's psychosocial stage theory is the adapted ego.
The ego is the conscious sense of sense that is developed by social interaction. The ego, just like personality can go through transitional phases as it is not fixed for life. Information from social interactions and changing circumstances have the ability to
Between 18 months and three children begin to crawl walk and become more mobile and slightly more independent of their parents. Being able to walk and verbalize their feelings, children start to posses a level of autonomy and self-sufficiency. Discovering these newfound skills, also conjures up the contrasting factor of stage two which is shame. If parents restrict the child and don’t allow them to explore their abilities in an encouraging environment, shame can follow. If a child is coddled and not given any room for failure, a unhealthy association with shame and failure will result in the child lacking self-esteem or assurance of their own capabilities. At this stage children are faced with the existential question of self-reliance or
Here children are becoming more independent and weary of the future. These individuals strive to be accepted into society and fit into the “normal”. This major stage is also where adolescents reconsider their identity and possibly make a change. The long time athletic star may discover his love for theater, thus prompting an identity metamorphosis. Erickson’s studies conclude that two incentives involved in this stage are sexual and occupational. Erickson also claims that adolescents are uncomfortable in their bodies because they simply haven 't adapted at their rate of change. While the roles and identity are in conflict, adolescents may have a difficult time trying to discover their real self because of confusion of what it means to fit in while maintaining their unique identity. This leaves adolescents to wonder who they are and what they could