THE CYCLE OF LIFE
Each stage of life involves a different set of developmental tasks that a person must master in order to develop fully. Life Freud had his psychosexual stages, Erik Erikson believed that individuals must progress through psychosocial stages of development. In this, the person faces a conflct between personal impulses and societal demands. There are 8 stages that a child must progress through.
Stage 1: Trust Versus Mistrust From birth to 1 year. How a baby's needs are met will determine how she views the world. Remember, babies are completely dependent on other people. If their needs are met - they get fed and held and changed -the baby will learn to trust the world. If not, the baby will learn mistrust.
Stage 2: Autonomy Versus Shame and Doubt From age 1-3. This is a time for developing independence. Think about little kids - they start to learn that they can impact their environment. Kids assert their wills - "no! No! no!" and "me! me! me!" If parents react in a positive way to their children, the child learns to make choices and be independent. If the parents are impatient or overcontrolling, children will doubt that they can do things by themselves.
Stage 3: Initiative Versus Guilt Ages 3-5. The major conflict comes from a child's desire to initiate activities and the guilt that comes from the unwanted circumstances. If parents encourage children to initiate activities w/ other kids, all is fine and good. If not, children will feel guilt.
Stage 4: Industry Versus Inferiority Ages 6-12. Kids develop feelings of industry and competency as they begin to practice skills and try to learn new things. How the world reacts to a child's successes & failures will determine whether they will feel industrious or inferior.
Stage 5: Identity Versus Role Confusion Age 12-20 - This stage corresponds to adolescence. Here, people begin to question who they are, what they stand for, what they can do. It's a pretty tumultuous time in life. People experience an identity crisis - a period of inner conflict in which a person examines his own inner values and makes decisions about life roles. If you resolve this, you have identity, if not, you have role confusion.
Stage 6: Intimacy Versus Isolation Ages 20-30. Young people become able to commit themselves to another person; if not, they develop a sense of isolation and feel they have no one in the world but themselves.
Stage 7: Generativity versus Stagnation Ages 30-65. The person expands feelings of love beyond the family to the larger society. If this doesn't occur, an individual stagnates, becoming concerned w/ only material possessions Generativity can be expressed through caring for children, teaching others, and doing things to benefit the welfare of others.
Stage 8: Integrity Versus Despair Ages 65 and up. Those who have been successful in solving their previous psychosocial dilemmas will look back on their lives and feel accomplished and satisfied. Those who haven't will look back w/ despair and regret for lost opportunities.