5. Genital stage - Puberty in other words. Glandular,
hormonal, and physical changes in the adolescent child's
body cause a resurgence of sexual thoughts, feelings and
behaviours. Boys start treating their mothers like woman-
servants and challenge their fathers (Freud's 'Oedipus').
Girls flirt with their fathers and argue with their mums
(Freud's 'Electra'). All become highly agitated if away from
a mirror for more than half an hour (Freud's Narcissus or
Narcissism). Dating and fondling quickly push schoolwork
and sports (and anything else encouraged by parents and
figures of authority) into second place. Basically everyone is
in turmoil and it's mostly to do with growing up, which
entails more sexual undercurrents than parents would ever
believe, even though these same parents went through
exactly the same struggles themselves just a few years
before. It's a wonder anyone ever makes it to adulthood, but
of course they do, and mostly it's all perfectly normal.
This is the final Freudian psychosexual stage. Erikson's
model, which from the start offers a different and more
socially oriented perspective, continues through to old age,
and re-interprets Freudian sexual theory into the adult life
stages equating to Erikson's crisis stages. This incorporation
of Freudian sexual stages into the adult crisis stages is not
especially significant.
5. Identity v Role
Confusion
11-18 yrs,
puberty, teens
earlier for
girls
Arguably no direct equivalent Freudian stage, although as
from Identity and the Life Cycle (1969) Erikson clearly
separated Puberty and Genitality (Freud's Genital stage) ,
and related each respectively to Identity v Role Confusion,
and Intimacy v Isolation.
6. Intimacy v
Isolation
18-40,
courting, early
parenthood
No direct equivalent Freudian stage, although Erikson later
interpreted this as being a psychosexual stage of
'Procreativity'.
7. Generativity v
Stagnation
30-65, middle
age, parenting
Again no direct equivalent Freudian stage. Erikson later
called this the psychosexual stage of 'Generalization of
Sensual Modes'.
8. Integrity v
Despair
50+, old age,
grandparents
N.B. This is a quick light overview of Freud's sexual theory and where it
equates to Erikson's crisis stages. It's not meant to be a serious detailed
analysis of Freud's psychosexual ideas. That said, I'm open to suggestions
from any Freud experts out there who would like to offer improved (quick,
easy, down-to-earth) pointers to the Freudian psychosexual theory.
erikson's eight psychosocial crisis stages
Here's a more detailed interpretation of Erikson's psychosocial crisis stages.
Remember age range is just a very rough guide, especially through the later
levels when parenthood timing and influences vary. Hence the overlap
between the age ranges in the interpretation below. Interpretations of age
range vary among writers and academics. Erikson intentionally did not
stipulate clear fixed age stages, and it's impossible for anyone to do so.
Below is a reminder of the crisis stages, using the crisis terminology of the
original 1950 model aside from the shorter terminology that Erikson later
preferred for stages one and eight. The 'Life Stage' names were suggested in
later writings by Erikson and did not appear so clearly in the 1950 model. Age
range and other descriptions are general interpretations and were not shown
specifically like this by Erikson.
Erikson's main terminology changes
are
explained below.
Crisis stages are driven by physical and sexual growth, which then prompts
the life issues which create the crises. The crises are therefore not driven by
age precisely. Erikson never showed precise ages, and I prefer to state wider
age ranges than many other common interpretations. The final three (adult)
stages happen at particularly variable ages.
It's worth noting also that these days there's a lot more 'life' and complexity
in the final (old age) stage than when the eight stages were originally
outlined, which no doubt fuelled Joan Erikson's ideas on a 'ninth stage' after
Erik's death.
erikson's eight psychosocial stages
Psychosocial Crisis Stage
Life Stage
age range, other
descriptions
1. Trust v Mistrust
Infancy
0-1½ yrs, baby, birth to
walking
2. Autonomy v Shame and
Doubt
Early Childhood
1-3 yrs, toddler, toilet
training
3. Initiative v Guilt
Play Age
3-6 yrs, pre-school, nursery
4. Industry v Inferiority
School Age
5-12 yrs, early school
5. Identity v Role Confusion
Adolescence
9-18 yrs, puberty, teens*
6. Intimacy v Isolation
Young Adult
18-40, courting, early
parenthood
7. Generativity v Stagnation
Adulthood
30-65, middle age, parenting
8. Integrity v Despair
Mature Age
50+, old age, grandparents
* Other interpretations of the Adolescence stage commonly suggest stage 5
begins around 12 years of age. This is reasonable for most boys, but given
that Erikson and Freud cite the onset of puberty as the start of this stage,
stage 5 can begin for girls as early as age nine.
Erikson's psychosocial theory essentially states that each person experiences
eight 'psychosocial crises' (internal conflicts linked to life's key stages)
which help to define his or her growth and personality.
People experience these 'psychosocial crisis' stages in a fixed sequence, but
timings vary according to people and circumstances.
This is why the stages and the model are represented primarily by the names
of the crises or emotional conflicts themselves (e.g., Trust v Mistrust) rather
than strict age or life stage definitions. Age and life stages do feature in the
model, but as related rather than pivotal factors, and age ranges are
increasingly variable as the stages unfold.
Each of the eight 'psychosocial crises' is characterised by a conflict between
two opposing positions or attitudes (or dispositions or emotional forces).
Erikson never really settled on a firm recognisable description for the two
components of each crisis, although in later works the first disposition is
formally referred to as the 'Adaptive Strength'. He also used the terms
'syntonic' and 'dystonic' for respectively the first and second dispositions in
each crisis, but not surprisingly these esoteric words never featured strongly
in interpretations of
Erikson's terminology
, and their usual meanings are not
very helpful in understanding what Erikson meant in this context.
The difficulty in 'labeling' the first and second dispositions in each crisis is a
reflection that neither is actually wholly good or bad, or wholly positive or
negative. The first disposition is certainly the preferable tendency, but an
ideal outcome is achieved only when it is counter-balanced with a degree of
the second disposition.
Successful development through each crisis is requires a balance and ratio
between the two dispositions, not total adoption of the apparent 'positive'
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