Erik Erikson

1902 - 1994

Biography

• Born in Frankfurt, Germany, June 15, 1902

• Father believed to be Danish

• Mother was Lutheran

– Remarried when he was approx 3 to his pediatrician

– Eric took last name of Homburger

Biography

• Tall, blond haired and blue eyed

• Referred to as “goy” (gentile) at his father’s temple while at school was referred to as a Jew

• Entertained fantasies of being son of “much better parents” who abandoned him.

Biography

• Entered art school against father’s wishes

• A time of identity crisis for him

• In 1927, invited to Vienna to work in a small school as an artist and tutor.

• Met Freud and his daughter Anna

– Accepted in Freud’s circle not based on degree but based on his brilliance and insightfulness

• Met his wife in 1929

• Moved to U.S. in 1933

Biography

• Worked with children.

• Later taught at Yale, University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard.

– Never obtained a degree himself

• Changed name to Erikson when he became an American citizen

• Avid writer, many works centering on influence of culture on personality and analysis of historical figures

• Died in 1994

Theory

• Believed development was based not just on sexual drives but on social interactions

– Biology determines when the stages occur

• Also that development occurred throughout the lifespan

– First five stages are expansions of Freud’s

Theory

• Three interrelated aspects of the ego ;– Body ego

• Understanding and acceptance of our body

– Ego ideal

• Image we have of ourselves and our personalities

– Ego identity

• Image of ourselves in the social roles we play

Theory Foundations

• Stages build on one another

– Based on epigenetic principle

• Each stage consists of a crisis

– Conflict between a syntonic (harmonious) and dystonic (disruptive) element

• Each crisis can be resolved positively or negatively

– Positive strengthens ego

– Negative weakens ego

Theory Foundations

• Resolution of stage influences how following stages are resolved

• Healthy resolution involves more positive than negative but includes both

• Can revisit stages throughout life based on circumstances with different results

– Negative resolution needs revisiting

Theory Foundations

• Each stage includes personal and social ramifications:

– Personal:• A virtue (a basic ego strength) is gained if resolved more positively

• A core pathology (opposite of a virtue) is acquired if resolved more negatively

– Social• Ritualization

– Patterns of behavior that reflect the beliefs, values, customs, and behaviors accepted by a society that serve to make life meaningful

• Ritualism

– Inappropriate or false ritualizations that cause social pathology

Trust vs. Mistrust

• Virtue: Hope (Faith)

• Core pathology: Withdrawal

• Ritualization of the Numinous

– Typical childrearing practices of mothers

• Ritualism of Idolism

– Excessive admiration and idealization of mother

Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt

• Virtue: Will (Determination)

• Core Pathology: Compulsion

• Ritualization of Judiciousness

– Learn difference in right and wrong, what is acceptable and unacceptable

• Ritualism of Legalism

– Inflexible letter of the law attitude

Initiative vs. Guilt

• Virtue: Purpose (Courage)

• Core Pathology: Inhibition

• Ritualization of Authenticity

– Trying on of roles to see what is possible or not, what fits and does not

• Ritualism of Impersonation

– Becoming the role played instead of who one is

Industry vs. Inferiority

• Virtue: Competence

• Core Pathology: Inertia (regression)

• Ritualization of Formality

– Learning appropriate ways of doing tasks

• Ritualism of Formalism

– Over concern for technique rather than purpose

Identity vs. Role Confusion

• Virtue: Fidelity (Faith in one’s ideology)

• Core Pathology: Role repudiation (blocks ability to synthesize image)

– Difffidence: lack of self trust or confidence resulting in shyness or hesitancy to express oneself

– Defiance: rebellion against authority

• Ritualization of Ideology

– Synthesizes all the previous identities of the previous stages

– Gives direction to life

• Ritualism of Totalism

– Over identification with and adoption of another's ideology

– Blind submission

Identity Statuses

• Marcia’s 4 Identity Statuses

– Based on crisis (conscious decision making) and commitment (personal commitment)

• Diffusion: confusion and little progress (no crisis or commitment)

• Foreclosure: status determined by parents / others, not personal exploration (commitment w/o crisis)

• Moratorium: Exploring alternatives but not settled on one (crisis w/o commitment)

• Achievement: Deliberately chosen identity (crisis w/ commitment)

Intimacy vs. Isolation

• Virtue: Love (Loyalty)

• Core Pathology: Exclusivity

• Ritualization of Affiliation

– Productive affiliation with others in work, friendship and love

– Based on successful achievement of identity

• Ritualism of Elitism

– Connect only with a small exclusive group

Generativity vs. Stagnation

• Virtue: Care

• Core Pathology: Rejectivity

• Ritualization of Generationalism

– Transmit cultural values to younger generation

• Ritualism of Authoritism

– Use of power for selfish purpose

Integrity vs. Despair

• Virtue: Wisdom (“informed and detached concern with life itself in the face of death itself”)

• Core Pathology: Disdain (“a reaction to feeling (and seeing others) in an increasing state of being finished, confused, helpless”)

• Ritualization of Integralism

– Integration of all other ritualizations

– Know culture will survive

• Ritualism of Sapientism

– “The unwise pretense of being wise”