Erik Erikson's 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development

Summary Chart


Stage

Ages

Basic Conflict

Important Event

Summary

1. Oral-Sensory

Birth to 12 to 18 months
Trust vs. Mistrust 
Feeding
The infant must form a first loving, trusting relationship with the caregiver, or develop a sense of mistrust.

2. Muscular-Anal

18 months
to 3 years
Autonomy vs.
Shame/Doubt
Toilet 
training
The child's energies are directed toward the development of physical skills, including walking, grasping, and rectal sphincter control. The child learns control but may develop shame and doubt if not handled well.

3. Locomotor

3 to 6 years
Initiative vs.
Guilt 
Independence
The child continues to become more assertive and to take more initiative, but may be too forceful, leading to guilt feelings.

4. Latency

6 to 12 years
Industry vs. Inferiority
School
The child must deal with demands to learn new skills or risk a sense of inferiority, failure and incompetence.

5. Adolescence

12 to 18 years
Identity vs. 
Role Confusion
Peer relationships
The teenager must achieve a sense of identity in occupation, sex roles, politics, and religion.

6. Young Adulthood

19 to 40 years
Intimacy vs.
Isolation
Love relationships
The young adult must develop intimate relationships or suffer feelings of isolation.

7. Middle Adulthood

40 to 65 years 
Generativity vs. Stagnation
Parenting
Each adult must find some way to satisfy and support the next generation.

8. Maturity

65 to death
Ego Integrity vs. Despair
Reflection on and acceptance of one's life
The culmination is a sense of oneself as one is and of feeling fulfilled.


This information was orginally found at http://snycorva.cortland.edu/~ANDERSMD/ERIK/welcome.HTM