Biography of Erik Erikson Essay

A few years after Eriks birth, her mother took him to a local anaesthetic jewish pediatrician, Dr. Theodor Homburger for a treatment of minor illness. His mother and the pediatrician eventually fell in love. He quickly driveed a sense that something was improper his mother and father were Jewish his own physical appearance was clearly Scandinavian. later on he found the truth about his herit years, his identity crisis was worsened. Rejecting his stepfathers plea to become physician. He went to Europe and enrolled in art school and eager to learn about culture and history. He returned home at the age of 25 prepared to settle down and t individually art for a living.Erikson was asked by his former high school friend Peter Blos to join him as a teacher in Experimental Nursery school in Vienna where he met Anna Freud and her famous father Sigmund Freud. Anna Freud was trying to convert psychoanalytic amuse in pincerhood experiences of adult. Erikson shared her pioneering interest an d was eventually trained by her as a child analyst. Erikson was still unsure to earn his living a psychoanalyst because still wanted to paint and draw. However, he began to see a connection between psychoanalysis and art. He observed that childrens dream and looseness involve important visual images that only later are translated into words in therapy.Concepts and PrinciplesEriksons position represents a systematic extension of Freuds prospect of the role of ego in personality functioning. Erikson is a Freudian ego-psychologist.Erikson proposed that ego often operates in regardently of id emotions and motivation. egotism functions to help individual adapt to challenges presented by the surrounding.Ego PsychologyEmphasized the integration of biological and psychosocial forces in determination of personality functioning.Epigenetic PrincipleThe idea that human development is governed by a sequence of stages that depend on genetic or hereditary factors This principle says that we dev elop through a predetermined unfolding of our personalities in eight stages. Our progress through each stage is in part determined by our success, or lack of success crisis, in all the previous stages. Crisis delimitate as the crucial completion in every stage.Virtue inherent strength or active quality human qualities or strength emerge from successful resolution of crisis.Psychosocial knowledge Stages of Ego DevelopmentStageBasic ConflictVirtueImportant EventsOutcomeInfancy (birth to 18 months)Trust vs. MistrustHOPEFeedingChildren develop a sense of trust when caregivers provide reli dexterity, care, and affection. A lack of this will lead to mistrust. Early Childhood (2 to 3 years)Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt allowToilet TrainingChildren need to develop a sense of personal control over physical skills and a sense of independence. winner leads to feelings of autonomy, distress results in feelings of shame and doubt. Preschool/Play period (3 to 5 years)Initiative vs. GuiltPURPO SEExplorationChildren need to begin asserting control and power over the environment. Success in this stage leads to a sense of purpose. Children who try to exert too much power experience disapproval, resulting in a sense of guilt. School Age (6 to 11 years)Industry vs. InferiorityCOMPETENCESchoolChildren need to cope with new social and academic demands. Success leads to a sense of competence, while trial results in feelings of inferiority. Adolescence (12 to 18 years)Identity vs. Role ConfusionFIDELITYSocial RelationshipsTeens need to develop a sense of self and personal identity. Success leads to an ability to stay true to yourself, while failure leads to role confusion and a weak sense of self. Young Adulthood (19 to 40 years)Intimacy vs. Isolation belovedRelationshipsYoung adults need to form intimate, loving relationships with other people. Success leads to strong relationships, while failure results in loneliness and isolation. Middle Adulthood (40 to 65 years)Generativity vs. stagnationCAREWork and ParenthoodAdults need to create or nurture things that will outlast them, often by having children or creating a confident(p) reposition that benefits other people. Success leads to feelings of usefulness and accomplishment, while failureresults in shallow involvement in the world. Maturity(65 to death)Ego Integrity vs. DespairWISDOMReflection on LifeOlder adults need to look back on life and feel a sense of fulfillment. Success at this stage leads to feelings of wisdom, while failure results in regret, bitterness, and despair.Strengths and Weaknesses of Erik Eriksons TheoryStrengthsComprehensivenessIt addresses itself to wide variety of phenomenon both normal and abnormal and seeks to biological, social, cultural and historical factors.Heuristic ValueWithin Psychology, Eriksons work has contributed directly to lifespan psychology and the development of adult psychology.Applied ValueEriksons work has practical impact in the area of child psychology and psychiatry, counseling, education and social work. WeaknessesMale BiasErik Erikson articulated psychosocial stage describes the life cycle hallmarks of white, western society and may not apply headspring to other cultures or even to our own today/present time. Eriksons positive outcome (such as autonomy, initiative, industry) virtues (such as will, purpose and competence) are frequently seen as characteristics of healthy male development. And his negative ones, (doubt, guilt and inferiority) are seen as reflecting unhealthy female development. Gilligans studies of girl and womens development suggest different positive values emerge in healthy development. Connection, responsibility, and care replace autonomy, masteryand power.Precision and TestabilityEriksons theory fails to meet the criterion of precision and testability. He defined the concept of ego to sustain sameness and continuity in the face of changing fate. Evidently the concept is extremely complex and does not readily m inute measurement.Therapy/Application of Erik Eriksons TheoryResearchErikson believed that social and historical factors affect the formation of ego identity, which in turn affects the nature of the personality. One such physical exertion of the work of social factors in personality development is the womens movement. Studies have found that most adolescent women today include a career orientation as part of their ego identity. Research in the area of identity crisis show that this stage may begin around 12 and be opinionated by the time a person is 18. However, for some people, identity may not occur until as late as age 24.Erikson believed that people in the maturity and old age stage of psychosocial development spend time recalling and examining their life, accepting or regretting past choices. However one study showed no strong differences between younger adults compared to older adults in reported frequency of life reflections. However, younger people engaged in reflection to gain self-insight and find solutions to authoritative problems, while older people used reflection of their past to evaluate their livesPlay TherapyErikson used play therapy to conduct research on his theory, focusing on what he called play construction. In his studies, boys and girls constructed a scene for an imaginary movie using dolls, toy animals, automobiles, and wooden blocks. Girls tended to build low enclosures, while boys focused on exteriors, action, and height. Based on biological differences, according to Erikson girls build low enclosures in which people are walled in, andboys would build towers. Research today still persists that traditional sex activity stereotyping between girls and boys exists. Girls typically play with dolls, jewelry, and toy kitchen implements, while boys play with trucks, soldiers, and guns.Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is perpetually to try just one more time. And anyone who has never made a mist ake has never tried anything new