Eriksonian Theory

Erik H. Erikson (1902–1994), a developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst, is best known for his psychosocial theory on human development. According to Erikson, human development can be divided into eight psychosocial stages, spanning from infancy to late adulthood. Individuals move from one stage to another via the natural forces of maturation, with social and cultural forces shaping how smoothly each stage is resolved. Each of these stages is therefore marked by a developmental milestone or an emotional crisis that must be successfully resolved in order for healthy psychological and socioemotional progress to take place. These crises, as conceptualized by Erikson, are a result of discrepancies between individual needs and societal expectations. While successful resolution of a stage allows an individual to progress to the next stage ...