Erikson Initiative Vs Guilt

The third stage, Initiative vs. Guilt, occurred from ages four and five. During this stage the child discovered who he or she was going to be. Initiative was increased when the child developed a sense of responsibility. If the child was irresponsible and felt too anxious, they felt guilt. Erikson believed that most guilt was compensated for quickly by accomplishment (Sharkey, 1997). Erikson’s fourth stage, Industry vs. Inferiority, occurred between age six and puberty. During this period, the child entered school where he or she was exposed to society’s technology. Erikson said that teachers should “mildly but firmly coerce children into the adventure of finding out that one can learn to accomplish things which one would never have

Role Confusion, occurred during adolescence. Elements of Erikson’s previous stages contributed significantly to this stage. During this period the adolescent must have discovered who they were because they were seeking an identity (Sharkey, 1997). Erikson himself was said to struggle with his own identity because during his early life, he was known as Erik Homberger. He was a tall, blond, blue-eyed, Jewish boy who was teased for being Nordic and teased for being Jewish (Boeree, 1997). Erikson’s sixth stage, Intimacy vs. Isolation, occurred during young adulthood. He stated that intimacy was only possible if a reasonably well-integrated identity resulted from the fifth stage.

The seventh stage, Generativity vs. Stagnation, occurred during middle adulthood. During this period, we must have assisted the younger generation in leading useful and productive lives. If the individual did nothing to assist the younger generation, they felt stagnant as a

Despair, occurred during late adulthood. In this stage, the individual reflected on the past. If their prior stages developed well, they felt a sense of integrity, but if their previous stages had not developed positively, they felt a sense of despair. Erikson believed that development was both qualitative and quantitative and that nature determined the sequence of the stages (Sharkey, 1997). In Conclusion, Erikson believed that successful completion of each stage results in a healthy personality and the acquisition of basic virtues. Basic virtues are characteristic strengths which the ego can use to resolve subsequent crises. Failure to successfully complete a stage can result in a reduced ability to complete further stages and therefore a more unhealthy personality and sense of