Jamie V.

Canauay
MA-Psychology

Biographical Sketch
Erik Erikson was born in Frankfurt, Germany on June 15th 1902.
Eriksons biological father, who was Danish, had left before Erikson was born. He
was adopted by his Jewish stepfather, and took the name Erik Homberger.
He had blonde hair and blue eyes, and because of his Nordic looks he was rejected
by their Jewish neighbors. However, at grammar school he was teased for being
Jewish. Feeling not fitting in with either culture, Eriksons identity crises began at
an early age.
Erikson was both an artist and a teacher in the late 1920s when he met Anna
Freud and began to study child psychoanalyses from her and at the Vienna
Psychoanalytic Institute. With the rise of Nazism in the 1930s, Erikson immigrated
to the United States in 1933.
Known as Erik Homburger during the first four decades of his life, he adopted the
surname of Erikson upon becoming a naturalized American citizen in 1939, and
he ultimately converted to Christianity.
He became interested in the influence of society and culture on child development.
Erikson was an ego psychologist. He emphasized the role of culture and society
and the conflicts that can take place within the ego itself.
The Ego Psychology
One of Erikson's chief contributions to personality theory was his emphasis on ego
rather than id functions. According to Erikson, the ego is the center of personality and
is responsible for a unified sense of self. It consists of three interrelated facets: the
body ego, the ego ideal, and ego identity.
Society's Influence
The ego develops within a given society and is influenced by child-rearing
practices and other cultural customs. All cultures and nations develop a
pseudospecies, or a fictional notion that they are superior to other cultures.
Epigenetic Principle
The ego develops according to the epigenetic principle; that is, it grows
according to a genetically established rate and in a fixed sequence.
Erik Erikson saw the ego as a positive driving force in human development and
personality. As such, he believed the egos main job was to establish and maintain
a sense of identity.
According to Erikson, an identity crisis is a time in a persons life when they lack
direction, feel unproductive, and do not feel a strong sense of identity. He believed
Jamie V. Canauay
MA-Psychology

that we all have identity crises at one time or another in our lives and that these
crises do not necessarily represent a negative but can be a driving force toward
positive resolution.

Three Interrelated Aspects of Ego:

1. Body ego - seeing self as different from others. Either satisfied or not we realize
its the only body we have
2. Ego ideal - satisfied or not with our physical self and entire personal identity
3. Ego identity - image we have of ourselves in the variety of social roles we play
Ego Processes: Identity and Mastery
Identity. To Erikson, the function of the ego is to preserve a sense of identity.
Individuality. A conscious sense of uniqueness and existence as a
separate, distinct entity.
Wholeness and synthesis. A sense of inner wholeness and
indivisibility.
Sameness and continuity. An unconscious striving for a sense of
inner sameness and continuity between who you have been in the
past, and who you are likely to be in the future.
Social solidarity. Agreement with the ideals and values of some
group; feeling that you receive support and recognition from
significant others.
The state of identity confusion (or role confusion, also often referred to as an
identity crisis) involves feelings of inner fragmentation, little or no sense of where
ones life is headed, and an inability to gain the support provided by a social role
or vocation.
Mastery. In accordance with Adler and Fromm, Erikson concludes that we have a
fundamental need to master our environment. Like identity, mastery is an ego function
that affords pleasures unrelated to the satisfaction of id impulses, and its frustration also
evokes intense rage.
Society and Culture
Erikson believes that society plays a prominent role in molding the developing ego,
he (unlike Freud) has devoted some time to studying the effects of different
cultures on personality
Jamie V. Canauay
MA-Psychology

He rejected Freuds conception of society as an inevitable source of conflict. The

influence of society is not always beneficial. It may be difficult to develop a firm
sense of identity because we are confronted with contradictory values, as when
our society stresses both competition (winning is the only thing) and cooperation
(do unto others ).

Comparison of Ego Psychology to Freudian Theory

Freudian (Id) Theory Ego Psychology
The Id The sole component of Similar, but less powerful.
personality present at birth;
entirely unconscious,
amoral.
The Ego Origin: Begins to develop Origin: Begins to develop
out of the id at age 68 independently of the id very
months. soon after birth.
o Characteristics: A o Characteristics: A
weak rider relatively powerful
struggling and autonomous
desperately to entity, which directs
control its behavior toward
instinctually such constructive
energized horse. goals as mastery of
Concerned solely and adaptation to
with satisfying id the environment.
impulses in a way These ego functions
that will also please are unrelated to the
its other two satisfaction of id
masters, the impulses, yet are
superego and pleasurable in their
external world. own right.
o Defense o Defense
Mechanisms: Used Mechanisms: Are
solely to ward off adaptive as well as
intrapsychic or defensive.
external threats,
primarily illicit id
impulses and
anxiety.

The Superego Origin: Begins to develop Essentially similar.

independently of the id very
soon after birth.
o Characteristics: A
relatively powerful
Jamie V. Canauay
MA-Psychology

and autonomous
entity, which directs
behavior toward
such constructive
goals as mastery of
and adaptation to
the environment.
These ego functions
are unrelated to the
satisfaction of id
impulses, yet are
pleasurable in their
own right.
o Defense
Mechanisms: Are
adaptive as well as
defensive.

Society An inevitable source of Not necessarily a source of

frustration and conflict, frustration and conflict,
since illicit and irrational id
since the ego functions are
impulses must be
constructive and can
sublimated. An external therefore be expressed
burden imposed on the directly. Supports the ego
ego. by providing social roles
and identities.
Libido The psychic energy that Essentially similar, but
fuels all mental activity. accorded considerably less
emphasis, so that greater
attention can be devoted to
ego and societal forces.
Personality development Virtually complete by about Continues throughout the
age 5 years. whole life cycle from
infancy to old age.

Basic Points Stages of Psychosocial Development

1. First, growth takes place according to the epigenetic principle. That is, one
component part arises out of another and has its own time of ascendancy, but it
does not entirely replace earlier components.
2. Second, in every stage of life there is an interaction of oppositesthat is, a conflict
between a syntonic (harmonious) element and a dystonic (disruptive) element.
Jamie V. Canauay
MA-Psychology

3. Third, at each stage, the conflict between the dystonic and syntonic elements
produces an ego quality or ego strength, which Erikson referred to as a basic
strength.
4. Fourth, too little basic strength at any one stage results in a core pathology for that
stage.
5. Fifth, although Erikson referred to his eight stages as psychosocial stages, he
never lost sight of the biological aspect of human development.
6. Sixth, events in earlier stages do not cause later personality development. Ego
identity is shaped by a multiplicity of conflicts and eventspast, present, and
anticipated.
7. 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.

The Epigenetic Psychosexual Stages, or Eight Ages of Man

Every epigenetic psychosexual stage is characterized by a specific problem or crisis (in
the medical sense of a crucial turning point for better or worse, rather than in the
political sense of imminent catastrophe).

This principle says that we develop 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, in all the previous stages.
Jamie V. Canauay
MA-Psychology

Psychosocial Significant Psychosocial Ego Core

Stage (age)
crisis relations modalities Quality Pathology

sensory
I (0-1) to get, to give in
trust vs mistrust mother hope, faith distortion -
infant return
withdrawal

autonomy vs will,
II (2-3) to hold on, to let impulsivity
shame and parents determina
toddler go compulsion
doubt tion

III (3-6) -- to go after, to purpose, ruthlessness

initiative vs guilt family
preschooler play courage inhibition

IV (7-12 or
to complete, to narrow
so) - industry vs neighborhood competen
make things virtuosity
school-age inferiority and school ce
together inertia
child

V (12-18 or
so) ego-identity vs peer groups, to be oneself, to fidelity, fanaticism
adolescenc role-confusion role models share oneself loyalty repudiation
e

VI (the 20s) to lose and find

intimacy vs partners, promiscuity
-young oneself in a love
isolation friends exclusivity
adult another

VII (late
20s to 50s) generativity vs household, to make be, to overextensio
care
-- middle self-absorption workmates take care of n rejectivity
adult

VIII (50s
to be, through
and integrity vs mankind or presumption
having been, to wisdom
beyond) -- despair my kind despair
face not being
old adult
Jamie V. Canauay
MA-Psychology

Erik Eriksons Basic Assumptions Concerning Human Nature

View of human nature
Freudian (Id) Theory Ego Psychology
Pessimistic, because of the More optimistic, because
emphasis on powerful illicit greater strength is
id impulses. attributed to the rational
and adaptive ego.

Erikson saw humans as basically social animals who have limited free choice and who
are motivated by past experiences, which may be either conscious or unconscious. In
addition, Erikson is rated high on both optimism and uniqueness of individuals.
Empirical Validation of Psychosocial Concepts
Erikson relied mostly on anthropology, psychohistory, and play construction to explain
and describe human personality.
1. Anthropological Studies. Erikson's two most important anthropological studies
were of the Sioux of South Dakota and the Yurok tribe of northern California. Both
studies demonstrated his notion that culture and history help shape personality.
2. Psychohistory. Erikson combined the methods of psychoanalysis and historical
research to study several personalities, most notably Gandhi and Luther. In both
cases, the central figure experienced an identity crisis that produced a basic
strength rather than a core pathology.
3. Play Construction. Erikson's technique of play construction became controversial
when he found that 10- to 12-year-old boys used toys to construct elongated
objects and to produce themes of rising and falling. In contrast, girls arranged toys
in low and peaceful scenes. Erikson concluded that anatomical differences
between the sexes play a role in personality development.

Application
Eriksons most influential legacy has been his theory of development and, in particular,
the stages from adolescence into old age. He was one of the first theorists to emphasize
the critical period of adolescence and the conflicts revolving around ones search for an
identity. Adolescents and young adults often ask: Who am I? Where am I going? And
what do I want to do with the rest of my life? How they answer these questions plays an
important role in what kinds
Identity in Early Adulthood
A longitudinal study by Jennifer Pals and Ravenna Helson found that
identity established in early adulthood is associated with stable marriage
and high levels of creativity.
Jamie V. Canauay
MA-Psychology

Generativity in Midlife
People high in generativity should have a lifestyle marked by creating and
passing on knowledge, values, and ideals to a younger generation, and
should benefit from a pattern of helping younger people.
Criticism
Although Erikson's work is a logical extension of Freud's psychoanalysis, it offers
a new way of looking at human development. As a useful theory, it rates high on
its ability to generate research, and about average on its ability to be falsified, to
organize knowledge, and to guide the practitioner. It rates high on internal
consistency and about average on parsimony.
Concept of Humanity
Erikson saw humans as basically social animals who have limited free choice and
who are motivated by past experiences, which may be either conscious or
unconscious. In addition, Erikson is rated high on both optimism and uniqueness
of individuals.