ERIKSON’S PSYCHOSOCIAL EIGHT STAGES
ERIKSON’S PSYCHOSOCIAL EIGHT STAGES
Using APA style, write one paragraph giving a brief explanation of each stage so a total of 8 paragraphs. Include a citation at the end of each such paragraph. This paragraph should consist of paraphrasing from the text book or other source, not copying and pasting, which is plagiarism. Explain each stage in your own words.
This paper should be a minimum of 1500 words, not including a separate cover page and a separate reference page. Think of using approximately 200 words for each stage. Comment by Makye Conner:
Next, after you have explained each stage, write one or two paragraphs in which you explain something from your own life which pertains to that stage.
Next, summarize your paper in one or two paragraphs. What did you learn from this paper? Please note all of the APA requirements below.
To summarize, your paper should have ten sections. Sections 2-8 should be at least three full paragraphs each, up to one full page for each of the stages.
Section 1: Introduction
Section 2: Trust vs. Mistrust
Section 3: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
Section 4: Initiative vs. Guilt
Section 5: Industry vs. Inferiority
Section 6: Identity vs. Identity Confusion
Section 7: Intimacy vs. Isolation
Section 8: Generativity vs. Stagnation
Section 9: Integrity vs. Despair
Section 10: Summary
Here are some tips and points to include in sections 2-8
The first four stages relate to childhood up to the age of 12. While you may not be able to recall a specific event from that time period of your life, you should be able to reflect on the meaning of that particular stage. For example, Stage number one is called Trust vs. Mistrust. This stage takes place between 0-1 years of age. While you will not remember anything from that period of your life, you can say something about your ability to trust people. Do you feel that you able to trust people or do you have great difficulty in trusting people? Or are you somewhere in between? Erikson maintains that wherever you are in terms of trust, it has something to do with what occurred during the first year of life and how your parents influenced you. Think of examples of where you either trusted someone or decided not to trust someone. Include these examples in your paper. The same would be true of the next two childhood stages, Stages 2 and 3 respectively.
Stage 4 is called Industry vs. Inferiority. This occurs between ages 6-12. You should have some memories of that stage which you can talk about and relate to this stage. Do you feel that you have a strong sense of industry or work ethic, or do you tend to be somewhat lazy and wait until the last minute to start on projects or assignments? Are there any achievements that you are proud of from childhood? These could be in school, sports, hobbies, music, dance, etc.
Most psychology students are currently either in Stage 5, Adolescence, Identity vs. Role Confusion, or Stage 6, Young Adulthood, Intimacy vs. Isolation. Write about some significant events or experiences that occurred in each of those stages. Did you have an easy time of adolescence or was it very difficult? Do you feel as though you were able to emerge from adolescence with a strong identity? For Young Adulthood, do you feel that you have been able to establish an intimate relationship? Or do you have fears about having one? Or do you simply prefer not to have one? Are you worried you will never find an intimate partner?
Stage 7 is Middle Adulthood. The challenge here is Generativity vs. Stagnation. Will you be able to be creative and generate energy for the younger generation or those who will follow in your footsteps, either family members, co-workers, or others that you are in contact with? Describe how you would like to experience this stage. If there is someone in this stage who you admire, state what you admire about them. Is this person a mentor, a teacher, a relative, etc. Did this person serve as a role model to you in some way? Describe how that occurred. What is it about this person that caused you to admire or respect them?
Stage 8 is called Integrity vs, Despair. This is for people who are nearing the end of the last of the eight stages. It occurs when the individual tries to summarize or integrate his or her own life in terms of all 8 stages. So the challenge is whether the individual will evaluate his or her own life with a sense of integrity or not. Success in the previous stages is the key to success in this stage. Again, think of what your life will be like when you are in old age, at 80- 90 years of age. What would you like your life to be like at this point? Who are your role models who are currently in this stage? What characteristics do they have that you find admirable? This could be a relative, neighbor, celebrity or public figure. Are you concerned that at this point you may look back and feel that you have made the wrong life decisions?
