Eriksons Summary Sheet

Erickson offered a basic framework for understanding the needs of young people in relation
to the society in which they grow, learn and ultimately make their contribution. Erikson's
psychosocial theory emphasized the emergence of the self, the search for identity, the individual
relationships with others and the role of culture throughout life.
(For the context of this assignment we have chosen to focus on the first six stages of
development as they focus on the ages that will affect how we as teachers conduct ourselves.)
Stage

Basic Conflict

Important
Event(s)

Outcome

Infancy
(birth to 18 months)

Trust vs.
Mistrust

Feeding

Children develop a sense of trust when caregivers

provide reliability, care, and affection. A lack of this
will lead to mistrust.

Toilet
Training

Children need to develop a sense of personal control

over physical skills and a sense of independence.
Success leads to feelings of autonomy, failure results in
feelings of shame and doubt.

Early Childhood
(2 to 3 years)

Autonomy vs.
Shame and
Doubt

Preschool
(3 to 5 years)

Initiative vs.
Guilt

School Age
(6 to 11 years)

Industry vs.
Inferiority

Adolescence
(12 to 18 years)

Young Adults
(19 to 40 years)

Middle Adulthood (40 to

65 years)

Maturity
(65 to death)

Exploration

School

Identity vs.
Role Confusion

Social
Connections

Children need to begin asserting control and power over

the environment. Success in this stage leads to a sense
of purpose. Children who try to exert too much power
experience disapproval, resulting in a sense of guilt.
Children need to cope with new social and academic
demands. Success leads to a sense of competence, while
failure results in feelings of inferiority.
Social Relationships - Teens need to develop a sense of
self and personal identity. Success leads to an ability to
stay true to yourself, while failure leads to role
confusion and a weak sense of self.

Relationships

Young adults need to form intimate, loving relationships

with other people. Success leads to strong relationships,
while failure results in loneliness and isolation.

Generativity vs.
Stagnation

Work and
Parenthood

Work and Parenthood - Adults need to create or nurture

things that will outlast them, often by having children or
creating a positive change that benefits other people.
Success leads to feelings od usefulness and
accomplishment, while failure results in shallow
involvement in the world.

Ego Integrity
vs. Despair

Reflection of
Life

Older adults need to look back on life and feel a sense

of fulfillment. Success at this stage leads to feelings of
wisdom, while failure results in regret, bitterness, and
despair.

Intimacy vs.
Isolation

So, what does this all mean?

Children go through the first three stages before they are old enough to attend school, but
that does not necessarily mean that those stages are completely behind them. As teachers we
have to be aware that we will face all of the stages previous to the school age because children
are entering an extremely new environment.
This means that teachers will have to establish a relationship of trust with each student,
promote autonomy and industry, and reinforce the values and virtues that they have hopefully
developed before entering school. It is crucial for teachers to get to know each individual in
order to understand and meet the learning needs of each student. Creating a positive learning
environment where students feel safe to share and participate is essential to promoting a feeling
of trust with and between students.
Teachers also need to make sure they are challenging their students, but scaffolding and
scaling their lessons in order to ensure that students have the opportunities they need to succeed,
thereby promoting autonomy and reinforcing confidence. Those students who are struggling to
develop autonomy and industry are especially in need of encouragement from the teacher
because it is likely that they are not getting a great deal of support from home.
If teachers are able to create a classroom community students will have a better chance
to form positive relationships with the students and teacher, and will therefore be more likely to
avoid developing insecurities, shame, and a negative sense of self. This is a crucial foundation
for later stages in life as students begin to develop more complex relationships and eventually
work towards intimacy and love.

References

Cherry, K. (Unknown). Erikson's Psychosocial Stages Summary Chart:

Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development. Retrieved from
http://psychology.about.com/od/psychosocialtheories/fl/Psychosocial-StagesSummary-Chart.htm.
SkinnyNurse. (April 27, 2015) Psychology Human Development: Information to Help Guide
Parents, Teachers, and Caregivers.Retrieved from
https://skinnurse.wordpress.com/2015/04/27/899/.
Woodfolk, A.e., Winnie, P.H., & Perry, N.E. (2012). Educational Psycology (5th Canadian Ed.,
pp. 200-207) Toronto, Ontario: Pearson Canada Inc.