What is Erik Erikson School of thought?

Erik Erikson's School of thought emphasizes the importance of development throughout the entire life span, with a particular focus on psychosocial development, which is the development of the self in relation to others. Erikson believed that individuals progress through a series of stages as they grow and develop, and each stage is characterized by specific challenges and conflicts that must be resolved.

The eight stages of psychosocial development proposed by Erikson are as follows:

1. Infancy (0-1 years): Trust vs. Mistrust. The infant learns to trust or mistrust the world based on the interactions with their primary caregiver.

2. Early childhood (1-3 years): Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt. The toddler learns to be independent or feel shame and doubt about their abilities.

3. Preschool (3-5 years): Initiative vs. Guilt. The preschooler learns to take initiative or feel guilty about their actions.

4. School age (6-12 years): Industry vs. Inferiority. The school-aged child learns to feel competent and productive or inferior to others.

5. Adolescence (12-18 years): Identity vs. Role Confusion. The adolescent develops a sense of self or experiences role confusion.

6. Young adulthood (19-39 years): Intimacy vs. Isolation. The young adult develops intimate relationships or feels isolated.

7. Adulthood (40-64 years): Generativity vs. Stagnation. The adult contributes to society or feels stagnant and unproductive.

8. Late adulthood (65+ years): Integrity vs. Despair. The older adult reflects on their life and feels a sense of integrity or despair.

According to Erikson, successful resolution of each stage leads to a healthy sense of self and the ability to cope with challenges. Failures to resolve a stage can result in psychological difficulties in later life.

Erikson's theory of psychosocial development has had a significant influence on psychology and has been used to understand a wide range of human behavior and development.