Theories of Personality 9th Edition

204 Part II Psychodynamic Theories

Sixth, events in earlier stages do not cause later personality development. Ego

identity is shaped by a multiplicity of conflicts and events—past, present, and anticipated.

Seventh, during each stage, but especially from adolescence forward, personality

development is characterized by an identity crisis, which Erikson (1968) called “a turning

point, a crucial period of increased vulnerability and heightened potential” (p. 96). Thus,

during each crisis, a person is especially susceptible to major modifications in identity,

either positive or negative. Contrary to popular usage, an identity crisis is not a cata-

strophic event but rather an opportunity for either adaptive or maladaptive adjustment.

Erikson’s eight stages of psychosocial development are shown in Figure 7.2.

The boldfaced capitalized words are the ego qualities or basic strengths that emerge

from the conflicts or psychosocial crises that typify each period. The “vs.” separating

syntonic and dystonic elements signifies not only an antithetical relationship but

also  a complementary one. Only the boxes along the diagonal are filled in; that is,

Figure 7.2 highlights only the basic strengths and psychosocial crises that are most

A H

Old Age

VIII

MATURITY

Adulthood

VII

Young

Adulthood

VI

Adolescence

V

PUBERTY AND

ADOLESCENCE

School Age

IV

LATENCY

Play Age

III

LOCOMOTOR

GENITAL

Early

Childhood

II

MUSCULAR

ANAL

Infancy

I

ORAL

SENSORY

BCDEFG

Basic trust

vs.

basic mistrust

HOPE

Ego Integrity

vs.

despair,

WISDOM

Generativity

vs.

stagnation

Self-Absorption

CARE

Intimacy

vs.

isolation

LOVE

Identity

vs.

confusion

FIDELITY

Industry

vs.

inferiority

COMPETENCE

Initiative

vs.

guilt

PURPOSE

Autonomy

vs.

shame, doubt

WILL

FIGURE 7.2 Erikson’s Eight Stages of Development with Their Appropriate Basic

Strengths and Psychosocial Crises.

Source: Erikson, 1982.