Erik Homburger Erikson was a German psychoanalyst, writer, and theorist who expanded on psychoanalytic theory to include the life span. Erikson was born Erik Salomonsen on 15 June 1902 in Frankfurt, Germany to a Jewish Danish family. The majority of the psychoanalyst’s early life was spent in Karlsruhe, Germany where his mother, Karla Abrahamsen, met and married his stepfather, Theodor Homburger. Erikson never knew his biological father. Additionally, Erikson had no formal interest in psychology until the late 1920s, but the circumstances of his birth, difficult childhood experiences, and future work in Freudian psychoanalysis prompted questions about identity formation and sociocultural influences that led to his theory of psychosocial development.
Art was the psychoanalyst’s original occupation with him briefly attending the Academy of Art in Munich in the early 1920s. Erikson continued pursuing art, first as a traveling artist, and later as a teacher to affluent families. Teaching led Erikson to relocate to Vienna, Austria in 1927 where he met Anna Freud, the daughter of Sigmund Freud. The two built a rapport with the latter inspiring Erikson to study psychoanalysis at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute in which he received a certificate, though no formal degree in psychology or medicine. Additionally, Erikson met and married Joan Mowat Serson in 1930 while at the institute. Serson was a fellow psychoanalyst and long-time contributor to Erikson’s work, as well as the mother of his four children, Kai T. Erikson, Jon Erikson, Sue Erikson Bloland, and Neil Erikson.
The Erikson family immigrated to the United States in 1933. The psychoanalyst’s career while in America was prestigious, maintaining positions at the universities of Harvard, California, and Yale. The United States was additionally where Erik Erikson conducted field research on the Sioux children of South Dakota and Yurok children of northern California, applying both psychology and anthology to understand the sociocultural influences of personality development. Fundamental ideas about psychoanalysis by its creator, Sigmund Freud, as well as childhood experiences, field research, and clinical work helped formulate Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, which he formally published in the 1950 book, Childhood and Society.
Erik Erikson’s psychoanalytic theory consists of eight stages that comprise the formation of identity and personality. The eight stages are trust versus mistrust (birth to 18 months); autonomy versus shame and doubt (8 months to 3 years); initiative versus guilt (ages 3 to 5); industry versus inferiority (ages 5 to 12); identity versus role confusion (ages 12 to 18); intimacy versus isolation (ages 18 to 45); generativity versus stagnation (ages 45 to 65); and integrity versus despair (age 65 and up). Eriskson’s stages theorize that social experiences of family, friends, and society impact an individual’s development throughout their life span. Consequently, each stage centers on a social conflict. The conflicts require a resolution in order for a human to develop a psychological virtue and solidify their identity as they age into the next stage of life. Failure to resolve the social conflict impedes an individual’s growth and negatively affects their self-perception.
What was the early life of Erik Erikson?
Erik Erikson’s early life was centered in Karlsruhe, Germany, and was marked by difficult feelings of rejection. The psychoanalyst was born on June 15 1902 in Frankfurt, Germany to Karla Abrahamsen, a Jewish Dane. Erirkson was the result of an extramarital affair during Karla’s first marriage to Valdemar Isidor Salomonsen. Karla remarried in 1905 to the psychoanalysis’s stepfather, Theodor Homburger, after relocating to Karlsruhe from Frankfurt. Erikson believed his stepfather was his biological father, but later learned it was an unidentified Danish man with whom he never developed a relationship. As a result, Erik Erikson felt rejected and disconnected from his family, particularly with his stepfather who had three daughters from a previous relationship and never fully accepted Erikson. The analyst’s experiences in primary education were additionally troubled. Classmates at Hebrew school ridiculed Erikson for his conspicuous Nordic appearance, while his grammar school peers ostracized him for his Jewish heritage. Consequently, Erikson had a difficult upbringing and felt a lack of identity due to his familial dynamics and lack of community. The remainder of Erik Erikson’s early life was spent focusing on creative pursuits, first attending art school in Munich, traveling across Europe as a part-time artist, and later working as a teacher in Karlsruhe.
The future psychoanalyst did not pursue psychology until 1927 when he relocated to Vienna, Austria. He met and was influenced by Anna Freud, daughter of Sigmund Freud, to attend the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute. Erik Erikson’s time in Vienna was the extent of his formal education in psychology, though his early life experiences inspired his interest in human development, including the nature of his own identity and how his upbringing contributed to his psychological processes.
When was Erik Erikson born?
Erik Erikson was born on June 15, 1902, to mother Karla Abrahamsen in Frankfurt, Germany. Erikson’s birth name was Erik Salomonsen after Karla’s first husband, Valdemar Isidor Salomonsen, a Jewish stockbroker. However, Valdemar was not Erikson’s biological father; he and Karla were estranged during the months leading up to Erik Erikson’s birth when she had an extramarital relationship with an unidentified Danish man. The psychoanalyst was initially raised under the belief that Abrahamsen’s second husband, Theodor Homburger, was his biological father. Homburger formally adopted Erikson when he was nine years old in 1911. Theodor and Karla revealed the truth about his parentage (though not the identity of his father) during early adolescence. Theodor remained the only paternal figure Erikson knew and the psychoanalyst took Homburger’s surname, becoming known as Erik Homburger. However, he changed his name in 1936 to Erik H. Erikson in an effort to establish his own identity. Both the circumstances of his extramarital conception and the deception of his parents left Erikson feeling confused regarding his sense of self, which, in turn, inspired his personal investment in the formation of personality and the social effects of one’s surroundings.
Where was Erik Erikson born?
Erik Erikson was born in Frankfurt, Germany. Erikson was Jewish Danish by birth but German by nationality after the psychoanalyst’s mother, Karla, immigrated following an extramarital affair that resulted in her son’s conception. Karla later relocated to Karlsruhe, Germany where Erikson grew up. Karlsruhe was additionally where Erikson’s mother met and married his stepfather, Theodor Homburger. Erikson experienced bullying while attending Hebrew and grammar school in Karlsruhe, being ridiculed by Jewish peers for his Nordic appearance and rejected by grammar schoolmates for being Jewish. In the 1920s, an adult Erikson left the city to attend art school in Munich, later spending a year traveling across Germany and Italy before returning to Karlsruhe to be an art teacher and tutor. However, Erikson once again relocated—this time to Vienna, Austria in 1927 where he nurtured his interest in psychoanalysis at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute. Austria remained the psychoanalyst’s home until 1933 when he immigrated to the United States following the rise of Nazi Germany. Erikson spent the remainder of his life stateside, relocating between Massachusetts, Connecticut, California, and Massachusetts again until his death in 1994.
What is Erik Erikson’s family background?
Erik Erikson’s family background is ethnically Danish Jewish. Erikson’s mother, Karla Abrahamsen, came from an affluent Danish Jewish family while his biological father was a Danish gentile, though nothing else is known about him. Karla Abrahamsen raised Erikson alone in Germany until she met and married his stepfather Theodore Homberger, a pediatrician, in 1905. Theodore adopted Erikson in 1911 and had three children previously, giving Erikson three stepsisters. However, Erikson never felt connected or accepted by his stepfather who was closer to his daughters than to Erik. Furthermore, the psychoanalyst had no relationship with his biological father or knowledge about his paternal ancestry beyond being Danish.
Erik Erison lived as a German national until he relocated to Vienna in 1927 to teach art and later to study psychoanalysis and childhood development. He met his future wife, a Canadian dancer, artist, writer, and fellow psychoanalyst named Joan Mowat Serson (born Sarah Lucretia Serson) in Vienna, Austria. Both Erikson and Serson were students of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute. The two married in 1930 and had four children together, Kai T. Erikson, Jon Erikson, Sue Erikson Bloland, and Neil Erikson. Kai T. Erikson is a sociologist who specializes in catastrophic events while Sue Erikson Boland is a psychotherapist and author of In the Shadow of Fame: A Memoir by the Daughter of Erik H. Erikson, which chronicles her relationship with her father.
Erik Erikson’s family background and dynamics were significant to his work and legacy in three notable ways. Firstly, Erikson frequently collaborated with his wife Joan. Searson contributed ideas and edited Erikson’s work, helping to construct the eight stages of psychosocial development. Searson went as far as proposing a ninth final stage in the 1982 book, The Life Cycle Completed. This ninth stage centers on individuals in their eighties and nineties, describing the struggles of decreasing bodily and mental capacity as well as social isolation that potentially leads to acceptance of a person’s life and deeper wisdom. Secondly, Erikson’s dynamics with his mother, stepfather, and absent biological father provoked a sense of confusion regarding his identity, adding to his interest in how an individual’s childhood affects their personality. Finally, reflections from Erikson’s daughter Sue in her memoir provide historians with insight into the formation of Erikson’s identity, including the influence of his personal experiences over his career and perceptions of the social effects of childhood personality development. For example, A 2010 post by Kirkus Reviews on Sue Boland Erikson’s memoir describes her father’s early childhood feelings of rejection as a propellent for his career aspirations, reaffirming Erik Erikson’s own observations about his experiences and belief that one’s upbringing affects personality.
What was Erik Erikson’s educational background?
Erik Erikson’s educational background was initially ordinary but later eclectic and largely informal. The psychoanalyst’s primary education consisted of Hebrew and grammar school in Karlsruhe, Germany where he experienced bullying. After which, an adolescent Erikson attended Das Humanistische Gymnasium. The future analyst demonstrated no academic experience or significant interest in psychology at the time, preferring history, art, and language subjects. Erikson’s eclectic education began after he graduated from secondary school, first pursuing art in Karlsruhe’s Baden State School of Art in Karlsruhe and later the Academy of Art in Munich. However, an education in art didn’t hold Erikson’s interest as he chose to leave school to travel through Germany and Italy where he worked on his craft informally, selling his pieces to people he met before returning to Karlsruhe to work as an art teacher.
The psychoanalyst’s education did not focus on personality development until his childhood friend, Peter Blosi, invited him to Vienna in 1927 to teach. Erikson met Anna Freud, the daughter of Sigmund Freud and the founder of psychoanalysis while working at the affluent Burlingham-Rosenfeld School in Vienna. Freud’s daughter is responsible for encouraging Erikson’s career in psychoanalysis, particularly that of childhood psychoanalysis, due to witnessing how well he worked with students. Additionally, Erikson was motivated to study psychoanalysis because of his childhood experiences and personal interest in human development and identity as a young adult. Erik Erikson consequently went on to attend the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute where he specialized in child analysis and studied under notable analysts like August Aichhorn, Heinz Hartmann, Paul Federn, Helene Deutsch, Edward Bibring, and Anna Freud herself. Additionally, Erikson pursued the Montessori method while at the institute, studying educational techniques that focus on hands-on learning. That said, the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute was the extent of Erik Erikson’s education. He received a certificate from the institute but no formal degree in medicine or psychology.
What was Erik Erikson’s professional life?
Erik Erikson’s professional life began with creative pursuits before transitioning into psychoanalysis. Erikson’s original occupation was as a part-time artist, starting with his brief stint at art schools in Karlsruhe and Munich. He later sold his work while traveling across Europe during the early 1920s but never generated any significant acclaim or income doing so. Thereafter, a young adult Erikson became an art teacher and tutor to affluent families in Karlsruhe in southern Germany. The pursuit of an artistic career ended when Erikson was invited to tutor in Vienna, Austria at the Burlingham-Rosenfeld School. The future analyst and theorist met Anna Freud while working at the school. Interactions between the two, in addition to Erikson’s existing questions about forming identity, inspired his career transition into psychoanalysis.
Erikson’s field focused on child psychoanalysis, aided by his professional experiences as a teacher. He published his earliest known paper in 1930, found in the collection of essays, A Way of Looking at Things: Selected Papers, 1930-1980 by editor Stephen Schlein. Erikson’s professional life shifted back to teaching in 1933, relocating to Boston, Massachusetts, United States to teach at Harvard Medical School and work as the city’s first child psychoanalyst. Both the career change and move were sparked by the growing antisemitism of Nazi Germany. Additionally, Erikson held clinician positions at Harvard, the Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Judge Baker Guidance Center for three years. The analyst left Harvard in 1936 to teach and conduct field research at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Erikson studied the cultural effects of psychological development while at Yale, exploring the connection between psychology and anthropology. The analyst once more relocated, this time to San Francisco, California in 1942 where he worked as a professor of psychology at the University of California, conducting extensive studies into childhood development.
Erik Erikson published several books in addition to his prolific career as a professor and researcher, including Young Man Luther: A Study in Psychoanalysis and History (1958) and Identity: Youth and Crisis (1968). The most significant of Erikson’s publications was Childhood and Society, a 1950 compilation of theories including his famous eight stages of psychosocial development. Erikson continued writing and teaching, leaving California in 1950 to work at the Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge, Massachusetts in 1951. Erikson ended his professional career by returning to Harvard as a distinguished professor, later retiring in 1970.
What were Erik Erikson’s contributions to psychology?
Five notable concepts and theories account for Erik Erikson’s contributions to psychology. Firstly, the eight stages of psychosocial development are Erikson’s most significant contribution to psychology. The eight stages propose that human personality socially and psychologically develops throughout one’s life span. Contemporary psychology criticizes Erikson for being unspecific about the causes and resolution of each stage. However, his ideas remain historically and scientifically significant because they provoked discussion about identity formation and combated the Freudian thinking that human personality primarily develops during early childhood. Secondly, Erik Erikson created the psychological concept of an identity crisis. Erikson’s concept refers to a tumultuous period of shaping one’s sense of self. The term originally correlates with the adolescent fifth stage of psychosocial development, identity versus confusion. However, identity crisis is used broadly in both contemporary psychology and popular culture to describe some form of internal turmoil.
Thirdly, Erik Erikson expanded existing psychoanalytic theory by bridging developmental psychology and anthology. The analyst’s expansion was an important contribution because it explored the idea that social, cultural, and environmental factors influence psychological processes, noting differences between societies. Doing so additionally moved away from Sigmund Freud’s limited focus on the development of upper-middle-class white Europeans. Fourthly, Erikson contributed to ego psychology, an off-branch of Freudian psychoanalysis. Ego psychology moves away from Freud’s idea that the ego functions according to the whims of the id. Erikson instead placed greater emphasis on how external factors affect the ego over time, portraying the ego as a driving force of personality rather than a mediator. Finally, Erik Erikson made contributions to psychology through the study of psychohistory and psychobiography. The analyst examined the life and behavior of historical figures like Martin Luther and Gandhi, applying his ideas to theorize the effects of circumstances of the figures’ lifetime on their legacy and personality.
What are the theories of Erik Erikson?
The most significant theories of Erik Erikson center on psychosocial development. The analyst proposed that humans psychologically develop according to biological and external influences over a span of eight stages, starting from infancy into late adulthood. Each stage is marked by a social crisis that humans must resolve to gain a psychological virtue. Failing to do so prevents the development of key processes that contribute to personal growth and one’s sense of identity. Erik Erikson’s theory corresponds to the epigenetic principle—the idea that human personality develops in a predetermined sequence. The theory expands on this principle by emphasizing interrelationships of identity formation as part of a larger, biopsychosocial process where one’s surroundings and social experiences impact their psychological development. Erikson’s theory deviates from Freudian logic because he didn’t solely focus on psychosexual development or childhood. Additionally, Erikson’s eight stages of psychosocial development introduced the identity crisis, a phase of adolescence that challenges self-perception. Both the concept of an identity crisis and the psychosocial development theory as a whole impacted the field of personality psychology by popularizing development as a lifelong process.
How did Erikson develop his theory?
Erikson developed his theory through a combination of psychoanalytic studies, personal experience, field research, and clinical therapy work. The foundation of Erikson’s theory derives from Freudian knowledge he gained while studying at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute. The analyst diverged from Freudian theory in the 1930s and 1940s, but it nonetheless formed his framework of human development as a process and inspired Erikson’s use of the ego as the driving force of identity. Erik Erikson’s personal experiences of childhood and teaching additionally inspired his interest in psychology. Specifically, Erikson’s disconnect from his family and peers as well as his years of teaching children and observing their behaviors provoked questions about how one’s social experiences affect the formation of identity. That said, the most significant influences on Erik Erikson’s theory were his field research and clinical therapy work. Both came about after the psychoanalyst emigrated to the United States to work at the esteemed universities of Yale, Harvard, and California.
Erikson explored the interrelationship between psychology and anthology in 1938 by studying Sioux children in South Dakota and Yurok children in northern California. The field research provided valuable insight into the sociocultural effects on personality development that inspired his theory’s main ideas. Meanwhile, Erik Erikson was an active clinician and therapist during his career in the United States. He applied psychoanalysis in his treatment of patients while working in Massachusetts and California throughout the 1930s to 1950s. Doing so provided key knowledge of the internal crises his patients experienced which, in turn, inspired theories on how or why they developed as they did.
What are Erikson’s 8 stages of life?
The list below summarizes Erikson’s 8 stages of life according to the psychoanalyst’s theory.
- Trust vs. mistrust: The trust versus mistrust stage spans from birth to 18 months of age. The primary social conflict revolves around a newborn’s dependency on caregivers either nurturing trust or mistrust. Resolution at this stage inspires hope and security in the child.
- Autonomy vs. shame and doubt: Development during the autonomy versus shame and doubt stage occurs between 8 months to 3 years of age. Toddlers contend with encouragement or discouragement in their independence from caregivers with successful development leading to the virtue of will.
- Initiative vs. guilt: Psychosocial development during the initiative versus guilt stage focuses on preschool years 3 to 5. The social conflict of this stage promotes or dissuades greater independence in young children. Resolution of initiative versus guilt achieves the virtue of purpose, enabling a sense of direction as children age.
- Industry vs. inferiority: Industry versus inferiority spans ages 5 to 12 and focuses on the conflict of a child’s self-perception compared to peers. Authority figures either encourage industry or spur feelings of inferiority depending on interactions with the child. Those who successfully develop during this stage gain the virtue of competency.
- Identity vs. role confusion: The identity versus role confusion stage centers on the social conflict of identity formation during ages 12 to 18. Adolescents develop or do not develop a stronger sense of self during this stage, gaining the virtue of fidelity upon resolving turmoil surrounding their place in society.
- Intimacy vs. isolation: The sixth stage of intimacy versus isolation covers ages 18 to 45. Adults during this stage approach the complexities of building and maintaining relationships. Those with a confident sense of identity achieve intimacy while those who lack a sense of self tend to isolate themselves. Resolution fosters the love virtue.
- Generativity vs. stagnation: Generativity versus stagnation pertains to ages 45 to 65. Middle-aged adults demonstrate generativity or stagnation depending on whether they find purpose in nurturing others and contributing to society. Individuals gain the virtue of care upon resolution.
- Integrity vs. despair: The final stage of integrity versus despair spans 65 to the final years of life. Seniors look back at their lives at this stage. Acceptance and appreciation prompts integrity while rejection and difficult development of past stages contribute to despair. Seniors develop the virtue of wisdom upon resolution.
Erikson’s personality theory elucidates the profound interrelation between the resolution of psychosocial conflicts and the cultivation of virtues at eight different life stages, emphasizing how each stage builds upon the previous one, impacting overall personality and psychosocial well-being. This developmental framework suggests that the attainment or lack of virtues at every stage significantly influences an individual’s capacity for handling subsequent life challenges and contributes to their overall personality development, interpersonal relations, and coping mechanisms. Consequently, Erikson’s theory accentuates the importance of nurturing and guidance at every developmental phase to foster a balanced and resilient personality capable of constructive social interaction and self-realization.
1. Trust vs. mistrust
Trust versus mistrust is the first stage of psychological development and occurs between birth to 18 months of age. The main social conflict of this stage centers on a baby’s total dependency on their caregivers. Fulfilling the baby’s needs, such as food, love, and protection, nurtures trust in the child. Conversely, the failure to meet a baby’s needs through neglect or indifference leads to mistrust and feelings of anxiety and fear later in life. For example, a parent working at home who is unable to frequently dote on their newborn neglects the baby’s need for attention, potentially leading to mistrust. The same parent may strike a balance and foster trust by consistently responding to their other needs, feeding and changing them so the baby is able to rely on them. Successful development across the first stage leads to the virtue of hope, the child going on to perceive the world as a secure space for them to grow and trust others.
2. Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
Autonomy versus shame and doubt corresponds to the second stage of development and occurs between 18 months of age to 3 years. The central conflict of the second stage is a toddler’s fledging sense of independence and social experiences with their parents. Encouraging agency through exploration, learning, and decision-making achieves autonomy. Meanwhile, reprimanding and discouraging a toddler’s agency leads to shame and doubt, weakening the children’s confidence. For instance, a parent actively teaching their child to groom themselves and use the potty enables a sense of control in the toddler’s development, whereas yelling, criticizing, and punishing a child for their efforts prevents feelings of agency. Resolving the second stage’s conflict leads to the virtue of will, denoting a child’s confidence and willingness to act as they age.
3. Initiative vs. guilt
Initiative versus guilt is the third stage of Erik Erikson’s psychosocial development which spans between preschool ages 3 to 5. Conflict in the third stage surrounds caregivers’ social impact on the child’s decisions and goals. Continued encouragement of independence by parents facilitates initiative in the preschoolers. Meanwhile, caregivers who continue to discourage independence through criticism or lack of engagement nurture guilt in children. An example situation of the stage is present among children with leadership skills according to Erikson. Those who take charge of their peers and direct them during playtime display initiative, whereas those who fall in line and follow another’s lead exhibit guilt due to their parent’s actions. Successful development at the initiative versus guilt stage of development fosters the virtue of purpose, helping to solidify a human’s sense of direction and competence in life.
4. Industry vs. inferiority
Industry versus inferiority is the fourth stage of psychosocial development and lasts between ages 5 to 12. Erikson proposed that a child’s competency conflicts with the social environment and pressures imposed on them by their peers. The social ecosystem of schoolmates, teachers, and parents all affect the child’s self-perception, specifically while comparing themselves to others. For example, positive reinforcement of a child’s school activities and outcomes, including failures and successes, enables industry and self-belief. Meanwhile, criticism or lack of encouragement from authority figures leads children to feel less capable than their peers, fostering inferiority. Resolution of the conflict achieves the virtue of competency, setting up the child to be more self-confident in social situations.
5. Identity vs. role confusion
Identity versus confusion makes up the fifth stage of Erik Erikson’s theory and covers the adolescent years of 12 to 18. The conflict of the fifth stage focuses on the formation of a teenager’s sense of self as they draw closer to adulthood and want to understand their place in society. The psychological term “identity crisis” derives from this stage due to its focus on internal turmoil over one’s identity. For example, a teenager might experience an identity crisis over their desire to fit in with others or form beliefs distinct from their parents. Positive resolutions of these facets such as finding friends who accept them or discovering new ideas outside of their culture help foster identity and understanding. Actions that go against these resolutions, such as marginalization from peers or forced conformity, lead to role confusion about one’s place in society. Additionally, successful development at this stage achieves the virtue of fidelity, promoting loyalty, commitment, and a continued sense of identity later in life.
6. Intimacy vs. isolation
Intimacy versus isolation refers to the expansive sixth stage of psychosocial development and comprises individuals between 18 to 45 years of age. The sixth stage spans young adulthood and a portion of middle age, focusing on the social conflict of forming close, long-lasting relationships. For example, college students with a firmer sense of identity from the previous stage enter the sixth stage better equipped to handle the complexities of bonding, compromising, and accepting others for who they are. Consequently, the students secure relationships with others and achieve intimacy. Conversely, college students who lack a sense of identity struggle with intimacy and the sacrifices needed to maintain a relationship, leading to isolation. The successful development enables strong relationship skills as the individual ages, granting the psychological virtue of love.
7. Generativity vs. stagnation
Generativity versus stagnation corresponds to Erikson’s seventh stage of psychosocial development and groups people between 45 and 65 years of age. The central social conflict consists of nurturing the next generation and benefiting society. For example, an adult choosing a mentorship role in their community or raising a family points to generativity according to Erikson’s theory. Conversely, adults who avoid responsibility of any kind and do not contribute to the betterment of society or the next generation fall into stagnation and struggle to progress in life. The virtue of care develops from the balance of generativity and stagnation among middle-aged adults, nurturing a sense of dedication to the world around them.
8. Integrity vs. despair
Integrity versus despair is the eighth and final stage of development that starts at age 65 to death. Social conflicts arise at this stage due to the challenge of reconciling the realities of age. Seniors look back and evaluate their lives, determining whether they were satisfied or not with their existence. Success in previous stages and a prevailing sense of identity provoke ego integrity in seniors, allowing them to appreciate their life accomplishments. Meanwhile, individuals who struggle to develop through their lifespan or hold on to deep-seated regrets experience despair. The resolution of the integrity versus despair conflict inspires the virtue of wisdom, elders demonstrating calm and acceptance as they reach the end of their lives.
What are the quotes from Erik Erikson?
Below are five quotes from Erik Erikson about personality and development.
The first quote below derives from the 1968 book, Identity Youth And Crisis, which explores the concept of identity crisis Erikson attributed to the adolescent stage of psychosocial development. Both the quote and the book expand on the notion that identity is central to a human’s place in society and an individual will lack a concrete sense of self without its formulation.
- “In the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a sense of identity.”
The second quote by Erik Erikson expands on the first by describing the function of adolescent development. Teenage personalities develop through the ability to make choices that allow them to form interpretations and ideas about the world—but do not provide so much freedom that they have no sense of guidance.
- “Adolescents need freedom to choose, but not so much freedom that they cannot, in fact, make a choice.”
Erik Erikson worked closely with children throughout his artistic and psychoanalytic careers. Consequently, the following third quote captures how highly Erikson valued childhood as one of exciting developments that every child goes through.
- “There is in every child at every stage a new miracle of vigorous unfolding.”
The psychoanalyst explores the role of family units in psychosocial development in the 1950 book, Childhood and Society. The fourth quote below derives from this book and captures the function of the first and seventh stages, highlighting the social developmental interrelationship between babies and caregivers.
- “Babies control and bring up their families as much as they are controlled by them; in fact, the family brings up baby by being brought up by him.”
The fifth and final quote originates from Erik Erikson’s Childhood and Society. It captures the importance of identity as a concrete, sense of self that allows humans to consistently understand who they are and what they do.
- “The sense of identity provides the ability to experience one’s self as something that has continuity and sameness, and to act accordingly.”