Erikson’s 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development

Oral-Sensory

Age: Birth to 12 – 18 Months

Basic Conflict: Trust vs Mistrust

Important Event: FeedingSummary: The infant must

form a first loving trusting relationship with the caregiver, or develop a sense of mistrust.

Muscular-Anal

Age: 18 months to 3 yearsBasic Conflict: Autonomy vs

Shame/DoubtImportant Event: Toilet trainingSummary: The child’s energies

are directed toward the development of physical skills, including walking grasping, and rectal sphincter control. The child learns to control but may develop shame and doubt if not handled well.

Locomotor

Age: 3 to 6 yearsBasic Conflict: Initiative vs

GuiltImportant Event:

IndependenceSummary: The child

continues to become more assertive and to take more initiative, but may be too forceful, leading to guilt feelings.

Latency

Age: 6 to 12 yearsBasic Conflict: Industry vs

InferiorityImportant Event: SchoolSummary: The child must

deal with demands to learn new skills or risk a sense of inferiority, failure and incompetence.

Adolescence

Age: 12-18 yearsBasic Conflict: Identity vs

Identity ConfusionImportant Event: Peer

relationshipSummary: The teenager

must achieve a sense of identity in occupation, sex roles, politics and religion.

Young Adulthood

Age: 19-40Basic Conflict: Intimacy vs

IsolationImportant Event: Love

relationshipsSummary: The young

adult must develop intimate relationships or suffer feelings of isolation.

Middle Adulthood

Age: 40 to 65 yearBasic Conflict:

Generativity vs Stagnation

Important Event: Parenting

Summary: each adult must find some way to satisfy and support the next generation

Maturity

Age: 65 to deathBasic Conflict: Integrity vs

DespairImportant Event:

Reflection on and acceptance of one’s life

Summary: The culmination is a sense of oneself as one is and of feeling fulfilled.