What is Erik Erikson's approach on psychology?

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I endeavored to answer "What is Erik Erickson's approach to psychology?" I hope this helps you.

Eric Erikson was well known for his theory on social development which scanned the entire life span of an individual - from birth to death. The eight developmental stages, in relative order, that span the life of the individual are:

1. Hope. Infant stage. Trust vs. Mistrust. Ex: Does the child believe its caregivers to be reliable.

2. Will. Toddler stage. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt. The child explores the work. If the parent doesn't allow this development [exploration], the child will not necessarily develop properly

3. Purpose. Kindergarten. Initiative vs. Guilt. Can the child be independent - to do things his or her own way. If the child feels guilty or made to feel guilty about his or her choices, "the child will not function well.

4. Competence. Age 6. Industry vs. Inferiority. Children began to compare themselves to others. Especially in the classroom. Erikson believes teachers should play a great part in helping children not develop an inferiority complex. In other Words, children recognize disparities when demonstrated. In other Words, if one child is more special than the other, the child recognizes this and begins to feel inferior in comparison.

5. Fidelity. Teenager. Identity vs. Role Confusion. Adolescents question their self-worth, e.g., Who am I? Do I belong? "How do I fit in?" Erikson believes that the teenager should be able to explore and come to terms with their own identity.

6. Love. Young Adult. Intimacy vs. Isolation. YA's begin to wonder who should they date or be with, what will he or she do with their life, will I ever settle down in life? This stage last longer when YA's decide to "stay in school" versus not settling down, which leads to a type of isolation, I think.

7. Caring. Midlife crisis. Generativity vs. Stagnation. Adults measure accomplishments versus failures. Whether or not one is satisfied with their choices in life or not. According to Erikson stagnation comes into play when the s/he feels they haven't contributed "anything to help the next generation."

8. Wisdom. Old Age. Ego Integrity vs. Despair. Erikson purposes that some people can handle death very well. However, some people become "bitter, unhappy, dissatisfied" with their accomplishment or failures withing their life time. Depending on whether one has failed/accomplished the decision equals to "satisfaction or despair.

Conflict and Outcome. Stages of psychosocial development are marked by conflict that eventually has a positive outcome according to Erikson. The outcome manifests' when the individual resolves the issue based upon the importance of ones life. For example, love versus hate, forgiveness vs. unforgiveness. Normally, given that the positive is chosen, an individual subsequently chooses what is most beneficial and healthy circumspectly. The favourable outcome of each stage, according to Erikson is known as "virtues."

Virtue comes into play when an individual can balance and learn how to deal with the challenges or tension when the different stages are in conflict with one another. When the extremes are "understood and accepted" as they are both required and are useful, "can the optimal virtue for that stage surface."

For example, trust and mistrust must work together in their tensions and extremes in order for realistic hope to emerge. For example, you learn to trust a person who deeply betrays you. You then have experienced and learned the element and character of mistrust. However, in order to have a balanced and healthy mindset and life [style] you cannot cancel one or the other. You should/must choose to work and balance them out in order to move onto the hope stage. Therefore, you can trust, with the ability to understand that mistrust works [accepted] for you in the sense that you learn not to put all your golden eggs [heart] into one [same] basket.

The same works for the other stages. Remember, the stages are in the order [above] as Erikson sees humans working their way through life's developmental stages.

One other, but probably not the last is, Erikson's theory on "ego identity" vs. "role conclusion. Ego identity empowers the individual with a "sense of individuality... " Role confusion then, is quite the opposite. It is the inability to realize ones productivity within "ones own society."

Over all, how we feel about ourselves greatly depends on development and environment. How do our teachers make us feel? Are we able to, as children, explore or do our parents or caregivers intercede this stage by preventing or making us feel guilty about it? The list goes on.