as Freud thought, a behavior pattern demonstrated by almost all children. The
psychoanalyst Karen Horney, one of Freud’s advocates, rejected the biological
sexuality of the Oedipus complex. Instead, Horney suggested that, for example, a
male child is often jealous of the position of power and importance the father has
with the mother. The male child has a forbidden wish to take the father’s place,
not so much as a sexual rival, but as a psychological one.(a) During what stage does the libido make a final shift from the phallus to a more general
interest in the opposite sex?(b) Freud indicated that either too much excitation or too much inhibition can induce a
of libido in one particular zone.
(c) The psychoanalyst Karen Horney rejected Freud’s emphasis on the of the
Oedipus complex.Answers: (a) The genital stage; (b) fixation; erogenous zone; (c) biological sexuality.Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development: From Trust
to Integrity
Erik Erikson (1902–1994) was personally trained by Freud, and maintained
respect for Freud’s theory. However, he expanded Freud’s concept of psychosex-
ual development to include psychosocial development. Psychosocial develop-
mentrefers to the characteristic ways in which the individual learns to respond to
other people. The term social worldis often used to refer to the constellation of
other human beings in our environment—parents, siblings, teachers, friends,
sweethearts and lovers, husbands and wives, and coworkers. This is the world
addressed by Erikson’s theory.
According to Erikson, there are eight stages in psychosocial development:
(1) trust versus mistrust, (2) autonomy versus shame and guilt, (3) initiative versus
guilt, (4) industry versus inferiority, (5) identity versus role confusion, (6) intimacy
versus isolation, (7) generativity versus self-absorption, and (8) integrity versus
despair.
In each stage the first attribute mentioned is a positive, or desirable, personal-
ity trait. The second attribute is a negative, or undesirable, personality trait. Trust,
for example, is positive. Mistrust is negative. At each stage of development, the
individual is challenged by life to form the positive trait.(a) The characteristic ways in which the individual learns to respond to other people is asso-
ciated with what kind of development?
(b) The term is often used to refer to the constellation of other human beings
in our environment.160 PSYCHOLOGY