Final answer:
Erik Erikson's 8 stages of human development are part of his psychosocial theory of personality that extends from birth to death, outlining key tasks and challenges that shape a healthy personality over the lifespan.
Step-by-step explanation:
Erik Erikson's 8 stages of human development make up his theory of personality development, which spans from birth to death. These stages represent different challenges and psychosocial tasks that need to be mastered for a healthy personality to develop. According to Erikson, unlike Freud's psychosexual theory, personality continues to evolve over time and involves more social elements that influence our ego identity. Here are the eight stages of Erikson's psychosocial development:
Trust vs. Mistrust (Infancy): Learning to trust caregivers and one's environment or developing mistrust.
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (Early Childhood): Establishing independence or experiencing shame and doubt about one's abilities.
Initiative vs. Guilt (Preschool Age): Taking initiative and asserting oneself or feeling guilty about desires and goals.
Industry vs. Inferiority (School Age): Mastering new skills and deriving pride from accomplishments or feeling inferior and doubting one's abilities.
Identity vs. Role Confusion (Adolescence): Developing a sense of personal identity or experiencing confusion about one's role in society.
Intimacy vs. Isolation (Young Adulthood): Forming meaningful relationships or struggling with isolation and loneliness.
Generativity vs. Stagnation (Middle Adulthood): Making contributions to society and feeling useful or feeling unproductive and stagnant.
Integrity vs. Despair (Late Adulthood): Reflecting on life with a sense of accomplishment or facing end of life with regret and despair.
Successfully navigating each stage leads to a sense of competence and a healthy personality, whereas difficulties in resolving these tasks can lead to feelings of inadequacy.