Talk:Erikson's stages of psychosocial development

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This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 4 January 2021 and 14 April 2021. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Asemadeni.

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Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment
This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 14 September 2020 and 17 December 2020. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Taa522.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 20:48, 16 January 2022 (UTC)

Improvements
The lead needs to be more concise and introduce the topic better and more clearly. It feels like it's just diving right into the topic. The graph in the stages section feels unnecessary and in the way. I would remove it and I would also make the sections on the stages more concise. Justynpowers (talk) 05:47, 21 January 2021 (UTC)

The ninth stage needs to be removed. Erik Erikson did not create this stage. This stage was created by his wife, Joan Erikson. It is unnecessary to add this because it is not one of Erikson's stages of psychosocial development.

The stage of intimacy and isolation could use a little more description. It touches on the topic, but some clarification would be helpful. As well, I would recommend adding visuals to that (or other) part(s) of the article that could help learners conceptualize. The last sentence of the intimacy vs isolation stage is a little bit of a run on. --Bowenarrow19 (talk) 22:51, 11 May 2023 (UTC)bowenarrow19

SOURCE 4
Source number four is incomplete. Could we locate the journal to add into the citation? Au24uI (talk) 04:20, 23 January 2024 (UTC)

TAMPERING: 12 - 18years section
The section for 12 - 18years has been deleted. Looking through the review and edit history, this appears to be a repeat issue with an unsigned blogger deleting this section, presumably revolving around a subjective objection to the sexual identity paragraphs. I am loathe to restore text as there is not an obvious authoritative version, though the current version is clearly deficient. Some further action may be necessary beyond restoring text, such as locking the section afterwards. marc (talk) 17:45, 19 November 2011 (UTC)
 * In this section I just changed the word "Yo" into years. 99.39.13.135 (talk) 03:03, 13 November 2012 (UTC)
 * Hi! That is kind of you, but this is the talk page and it is not as important here that everything is exactly correct as long as we understand each other. So usually we don't correct other people's comments.  Lova Falk   talk  08:53, 14 November 2012 (UTC)

Completely unnecessary links
Seriously, do we need a link to the number 8 in the first sentence? If there's one gripe I have about Wikipedia articles, it's the overwhelming number of bogus hyperlinks to topics that have NOTHING to do with the original post. When someone is reading an article—say, this one—and "eight stages" is hyperlinked, it's extremely frustrating to move the cursor over the link thinking it's going to take the reader to another article called "eight stages" and instead it's broken into "Eight" and "Developmental Stages." Seriously—before you take the time to muck up an article with a bunch of hyperlinks (why, by the way, call to the reader as: "HEY, LOOK AT ME, I'M IMPORTANT AND YOU NEED TO CLICK ON ME"), consider whether or not the reader wants—or needs—to jump from "Erikson's blah blah" to an article about A NUMBER. 174.99.62.175 (talk) 16:24, 30 August 2011 (UTC)

Nineteen
Every year but 19 is covered by this chart. Is 19 adolescent or young adult--let's decide. It seems unfair to leave one particular year in limbo.

Fixed so that 19 is included in Adolesence, as it is in my textbook. Article still needs large numbers of additions to bring it up ot scratch though.

it could be me (and i don't at the moment feel like trying to pin down why i feel this way), but the 19-34yo section reads as if it could've been in my local newspaper's horoscope section.. think it has something to do with They want to fit in. When we arrive at stage six we should be prepared for intimacy, a close personal relationship, and isolation, the fact of being alone and separated from others we? who is we? i'd like to rewrite this myself, but i don't have a textbook on-hand, so i wouldn't know how close i would be staying to the main text.Boombaard (talk) 01:05, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

"Critique" section duplicated
The "Critique" section here is almost identical to the "critique" section in the Erik Erikson article. Which is the best article for this section? ISTM it should be in one or the other, not both. thanks, Clicketyclack

Requested move
I feel that this article should be accessable by either typinf in Erikson's psychosocial.... or simply psychsocial dev....If you are simple looking for one you do not have to look for the otherTessysue (talk) 17:41, 23 November 2008 (UTC)
 * Erikson's model is the generally recognized theory of psychosocial development. In order to be consistent with articles such as psychosexual development, which is a companion theory, I feel that this article should be moved. Also, the current title is rather cumbersome and may benefit from a shortened name. -- Psy guy Talk 22:55, 13 May 2007 (UTC)
 * I don't think this is terribly controversial, but I did not want to step on anyone's toes. -- Psy guy Talk 23:00, 13 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Good idea. Clicketyclack 08:45, 14 May 2007 (UTC)

Nicely Laid Out
I like the way this page is laid out, very nice --RawEgg 09:47, 12 September 2007 (UTC)

This article has been renamed as the result of a move request. --Stemonitis 09:17, 19 May 2007 (UTC) This article was a nice read and was nicely written. I see that many changes have been made in the past. Funstar88 (talk) 02:45, 4 May 2021 (UTC)

Added on to Initiative vs. Guilt
Can I have some feedback regarding my posting new information from current information I currently researched for the area under Play Stage: Initiative vs. Guilt. I feel this is a bit lengthy and I may need to cut out some aspects of the paragraph but I do not know what that information should be since it all seems relevant. Ccontreras 04:37, 26 October 2007 (UTC)ccontreras

I will help you, Ccontreras
I believe from what I have read that this article mistakenly lists only seven stages. Erikson included eight stages in his book: The Child and Society. Joan Erikson added the ninth stage. I would like to in the near future edit and add the eigth stage and perhaps discuss the relevance of the idea of the stages being epigenetic. I will also give Ccontreras some feed back. (Sangel8 01:21, 15 November 2007 (UTC))

Added: Ego Integrity vs Despair and Disgust
I added to the late adulhood section: integrity vs. despair and disgust. Please give me feedback. I felt the initial entry was clear and concise, but needed more citations.66.75.223.212 05:46, 1 December 2007 (UTC)

Plagiarism?
Compare these edits made in August 2006 by user User:Tragen to this webpage which, if dated accordingly, was created in 1999.   akuyume TC 18:59, 1 February 2008 (UTC)

Why why?
I moved this piece from the Play Age section, since it needs clarification before reinsertion:

''If the child is not given the opportunity to discuss how to accept these feelings that accompany guilt or if the child is simply dealing with guilt reactions, then several questions may arise, such as “Can I do this?,” and “How moral am I?,” and posing the “why” question to understand how the world works. In asking numerous “Why” questions, the child learns about life by making up his or her own explanations for why things are the way they are, experimenting with adult roles through fantasy play, and seeking explanations for his or her surroundings from adults.''

It doesn't make clear if the why-questions are good or not. First, why questions seem to be a negative consequence, and then to be a way of development. This contradiction needs to be tended to before reinsertion. Mikael Häggström (talk) 15:56, 10 February 2008 (UTC)

Jjiggy (talk) 04:31, 12 August 2008 (UTC) Re:19yrold
I think the 19 year old should be a young adult

Psychosocial development From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search

Psychosocial development as articulated by Erik Erikson explains eight stages through which a healthily developing human should pass from infancy to late adulthood. In each stage the person confronts, and hopefully masters, new challenges. Each stage builds on the successful completion of earlier stages. The challenges of stages not successfully completed may be expected to reappear as problems in the future. The Stages Infancy (birth to 18 months) •	Psychosocial Crisis: Trust vs. Mistrust Developing trust is the first task of the ego, and it is never complete. The child will let its mother out of sight without anxiety and rage because she has become an inner certainty as well as an outer predictability. But when a mother is not present, the father becomes the inner certainty along with other relatives usually surrounding the child daily. The balance of trust with mistrust depends largely on the quality of the maternal relationship. •	Main question asked: Is my environment trustworthy or not? •	Central Task: Receiving care •	Positive Outcome: Trust in people and the environment •	Ego Quality: Hope •	Definition: Enduring belief that one can attain one's deep and essential wishes •	Developmental Task: Social attachment; Maturation of sensory, perceptual, and motor functions; Primitive causality. •	Significant Relations: Maternal parent Erik Erikson proposed that the concept of trust versus mistrust is present throughout an individual's entire life. Therefore if the concept is not addressed, taught and handled properly during infancy (when it is first introduced), the individual may be negatively affected and never fully immerse themselves in the world. For example, a person may hide themselves from the outside world and be unable to form healthy and long-lasting relationships with others, or even themselves. If an individual does not learn to trust themselves, others and the world around them then they may lose the virtue of hope, which is directly linked to this concept. If a person loses their belief in hope they will struggle with overcoming hard times and failures in their lives, and may never fully recover from them. This would prevent them from learning and maturing into a fully-developed person if the concept of trust versus mistrust was improperly learned, understood and used in all aspects of their lives. [edit] Muscular-anal stage (18 months to 3 years) •	Psychosocial Crisis: Autonomy vs. Shame & doubt If denied independence, the child will turn against his/her urges to manipulate and discriminate. Shame develops with the child's self-consciousness. Doubt has to do with having a front and back -- a "behind" subject to its own rules. Left over doubt may become paranoia. The sense of autonomy fostered in the child and modified as life progresses serves the preservation in economic and political life of a sense of justice. •	Main question asked: Do I need help from others or not? When a child reaches the age of one to the age of three, Erikson explains, the child is developing a sense of autonomy. During this age, the toddler discovers he/she is no longer attached to the primary caregiver but is a separate individual (Gonzalez-Mena & Eyer, 2004). Autonomy is the independence a toddler strives for from caregivers. Toddlers' autonomous behavior is a way of forming their own identity away from their caregivers (Bigner, 2006). This stage is a time where a toddler has the "will" to become independent. Shame and doubt is likely to occur when the toddler is not given any choices or boundaries because the toddler is determined to become independent. The strong will of a toddler may cause conflict between child and caregiver. Many parents are unaware of how to properly handle difficult situations in which they find themselves. Parents who are assertive and too demanding may find themselves in a power struggle with their toddler (Gonzalez-Mena & Eyer, 2006). In addition, parents may be too demanding for only "good" behavior from their toddler. Gonzalez-Mena and Eyer (2004) explain that demanding good behavior will only cause frustration for the toddler; instead, "it is far better for the child to see you as a support and an aid rather as an obstacle to his or her own developing capabilities and independence." Autonomy can be gained for the toddler when given reasonable choices and proper guidance from the caregiver. Parents can give healthy and wise choices to assist their child to succeed at this stage. [edit] Play age (3 to 6 years) •	Psychosocial Crisis: Initiative vs. Guilt Initiative adds to autonomy the quality of undertaking, planning, and attacking a task for the sake of being active and on the move. The child is learning to master the world around him or her, learning basic skills and principles of physics; things fall to the ground, not up; round things roll, how to zip and tie, count and speak with ease. At this stage the child wants to begin and complete his or her own actions for a purpose. Guilt is a new emotion and is confusing to the child; he or she may feel guilty over things which are not logically guilt producing, and he or she will feel guilt when his or her initiative does not produce the desired results. •	Main question asked: How moral am I? The development of courage and independence are what set preschoolers, ages three to six years of age, apart from other age groups when Erikson discussed his third psychosocial stage. Young children in this category, ranging between three to six years of age, face the challenge of initiative versus guilt (Boer, 1997). As described in Bee and Boyd (2004), the child during this stage faces the complexities of planning and developing a sense of judgment. During this stage, the child learns to take initiative and prepare him or herself towards roles of leadership and goal achievement. Activities sought out by a child in this stage may include risk-taking behaviors, such as crossing a street on his or her own or riding a bike without a helmet; both examples involving self-limits. The child defines his or her own boundaries when taking initiative in crossing a street or riding a bike with no helmet, such as deciding to cross a street without looking both ways or choosing to ride a bike at his or her own pace with no helmet. Within instances requiring initiative, such as those previously mentioned, the child may also develop negative behaviors. These behaviors are a result of the child developing a sense of frustration for not being able to achieve his or her goal as planned and may engage in behaviors that seem aggressive, ruthless, and overly assertive to parents; aggressive behaviors, such as throwing objects, hitting, or yelling, are examples of observable behaviors during this stage. With aggressive behaviors as a result of frustration, the child may progress towards developing a sense of guilt for not establishing initiative in the decisions he or she makes and/or not being able to follow through with a set goal. When guilt develops, the child becomes more assertive, aggressive, inhibited, and overly dependent. These characteristics can be seen as far from the norm since the child engages in behaviors that do not show a challenge and/or are comfortable for the child; thus, the child does not take on new situations unless assisted by an adult. In concordance with guilt, parents often misjudge the situation and punish or restrict the child too much. However, children in this stage require some sense of guilt in order to guide their self-control and a healthy conscience (Bee and Boyd, 2004). [edit] Importance of adults The relationship between parent and child must include a positive balance between helping the child develop guilt, of which will encourage self-control, and establishing independence for the goals the child chooses. Independence is significant to goal development and child development in that the child will learn to form a foundation for decision-making and in taking the steps required to set goals. As suggested by McDevitt and Ormrod (2002), children establish a positive ability to have self-initiative to set goals through the encouragement and support of their parents and/or teachers. Both parents and/or teachers are crucial aspects in helping a child develop self-initiative to set goals for two reasons: adults can model the self-control that is relevant to setting goals and assist the child with reasoning through making decisions. These components are necessary in that adults help the child establish the foundation of forming a self-initiative to set goals so that the child can progress forward on his or her own in future goal building. If a child decides to construct a large puzzle, the responsibility of reinforcing the child's capabilities lays upon the supervising adult since the child must take another's perspective regarding his or her own capabilities; self-perspective may be different in the eyes of others and can produce more honesty than the self can see, especially with children. The adult should not impede instruction, but rather reassure the child through reinforcement that creates intrinsic motivation, such as through positive discussion about the child's capabilities and sense of worth. McDevitt and Ormrod claim that by observing his or her own accomplishments and/or through the development of self-efficacy, the child internalizes a sense of satisfaction that is necessary for maintaining initiative. However, the child will develop guilt regarding personal needs and desires when he or she, or a supervising adult discourages him or her from completing a goal independently. As a result, the child questions what he or she is actually capable of and may reshape future actions taking initiative and challenging goals, which in turn may not reflect the child's natural abilities but a more limited repetition. [edit] Importance of responsibility In order to promote a safe balance between initiative and guilt, parents must provide the child with achievable responsibility. Cramer, Flynn, and LaFave (1997) describe two different outcomes, both positive and negative, that may occur if a child is not given responsibilities, such as cleaning a room or walking a dog; all of which can create independence and dependability. For a healthy balance of initiative and guilt, the child should be able to accept feelings of guilt while understanding that certain activities and situations he or she chooses may or may not be permitted by others. Children should also be encouraged to use their imaginations when taking initiatives that are related to adult roles, ultimately not feeling guilty for "thinking outside of the box" and being different from the norm as a result. The child should not feel guilty in using imagination during play since it provides him or her with learning how to be creative and to reflecting upon personal capabilities. For example, the child may be imagining he is a police officer and will form his play around this role; this concept could later develop into a future profession, of which the child is willing to take initiative in facing the challenging steps in becoming an actual police officer. Therefore, parents need to provide students with chores and small jobs because it will strengthen skills that reflect responsibility and future adult roles, such as tending to a younger sibling or helping wash dishes. In contrast, children who are not allowed to complete tasks independently may learn that the activities and situations are beyond their ability and they are incapable of setting their own goals. The Child Development Institute LLC (1998) suggests that a child with no responsibility, whether given by an adult or produced by the child, grows fearful in most situations involving change, excessively depends on adults, and is restricted from imagination and active play; these characteristics are a result of the child being immobilized by guilt (i.e. low feelings of self-efficacy, confidence, and frustration in abilities when a personal goal has not been accomplished). In view of the fact that preschool children require skills necessary to become independent and responsible, parents and/or teachers should learn how to assist in the child's social development; this may include teaching the child how to be courageous, empathetic, self-disciplined, and loyal. Fittro (2003) suggests several ideas on how to create these types of values during a child's moral development. First, parents should respect the child in all aspects of his or her personality if they seek respect in return. For example, parents need to consider the child's opinions and perspectives before setting discipline and behavioral standards. Parents should stay firm on their expectations, yet remind themselves that the child is a human being and deserves to be treated with fairness in order to develop a positive self-concept. Parents also have the advantage of teaching good morality through discussion and example. By illustrating and discussing how to tolerate guilt, such as feelings of low self-efficacy, self-esteem, or self-confidence after taking initiative in accomplishing a goal, the child will learn that this type of behavior is acceptable. If the child is not given the opportunity to discuss how to accept these feelings that accompany guilt or if the child is simply dealing with guilt reactions, then several questions may arise, such as "Can I do this?," and "How moral am I?,". Consistent with these ideas, the Mohonasen Central School District Board of Education (2005) suggests letting children take on small tasks that gradually increase in difficulty as they grow older. This may include helping prepare small meals, setting a table, or letting them choose their own clothing for the day; all of which builds confidence and assists in developing simple math skills (e.g. counting and sorting). Finally, allow children with "downtime" as their responsibilities expand. Parents and/or teachers should remember that children in this stage of Erikson's psychosocial development need and deserve a time to be free. [edit] School age (7 to 10 years) •	Psychosocial Crisis: Industry vs. Inferiority To bring a productive situation to completion is an aim which gradually supersedes the whims and wishes of play. The fundamentals of technology are developed. To lose the hope of such "industrious" association may pull the child back to the more isolated, less conscious familial rivalry of the oedipal time. •	Main question asked: Am I good at what I do? According to Allen and Marotz (2003), "children at this age are becoming more aware of themselves as individuals." They work hard at "being responsible, being good and doing it right." They are now more reasonable to share and cooperate. Allen and Marotz (2003) also list some perceptual cognitive developmental traits specific for this age group: Children understand the concepts of space and time, in more logical, practical ways, beginning to grasp Piaget's concepts of conservation, gain better understanding of cause and effect and understand calendar time. At this stage, children are eager to learn and accomplish more complex skills: reading, writing, telling time. They also get to form moral values, recognize cultural and individual differences and are able to manage most of their personal need and grooming with minimal assistance (Allen and Marotz, 2003). At this stage, children might express their independence by being disobedient, using back talk and being rebellious. Children in this stage have to learn the feeling of success. If the child is allowed too little success, he or she will develop a sense of inferiority or incompetence. Too much industry leads to narrow virtuosity (children who are not allowed to be children). A balance between industry and inferiority leads to competency. According to Robert Brooks (2001) parents can nurture self esteem and resilience in different ways: a. Understand and accept children's learning problems (highlight strengths) b. Teach children how to solve problems and make decisions c. Reinforce responsibility by having children contribute d. Learn from, rather than feeling defeated by mistakes e. Make the child feel special (create special times alone with them each week) [edit] Adolescence (10 to 17 years) •	Psychosocial Crisis: Identity vs. Role Confusion The adolescent is newly concerned with how he or she appears to others. Superego identity is the accrued confidence that the outer sameness and continuity prepared in the future are matched by the sameness and continuity of one's meaning for oneself, as evidenced in the promise of a career. The ability to settle on a school or occupational identity is pleasant. In later stages of Adolescence, the child develops a sense of sexual identity. [edit] Young adulthood (18 to 40 years) •	Psychosocial Crisis: Intimacy vs. Isolation Body and ego must be masters of organ modes and of the other nuclear conflicts in order to face the fear of ego loss in situations which call for self-abandon. The avoidance of these experiences leads to openness and self-absorption. According to Erik Erikson the young adult stage, Intimacy vs. Isolation, is emphasized around the ages of 19 to 34. At the start of the Intimacy vs. Isolation stage, identity vs. role confusion is coming to an end and it still lingers at the foundation of the stage (Erikson 1950). Young adults are still eager to blend their identities with friends. They want to fit in. When we arrive at stage six we should be prepared for intimacy, a close personal relationship, and isolation, the fact of being alone and separated from others. A balance between intimacy and isolation makes love possible as we must know how to be alone in order to learn to truly love. Having a balanced stage 6 will help tremendously later in the coming stages when unwelcome or unexpected isolation surfaces, for example, the death of a spouse or a loved one (Erikson, Erikson, Kivnick 1986). In stage six, one is ready for commitments, is able to handle real relationships to a certain extent (Erikson 1950), after all, establishing a real relationship takes practice and many of us do not marry our first love. Our ego should also be prepared for rejection, the challenge of break-ups, and isolation, being alone. Erikson believes we are sometimes isolated due to the above. We are afraid of rejection; being turned down, our partners breaking up with us. We are familiar with pain and to some of us rejection is painful, our egos cannot bear the pain. Erikson also argues that "Intimacy has a counterpart: Distantiation: the readiness to isolate and if necessary, to destroy those forces and people whose essence seems dangerous to our own, and whose territory seems to encroach on the extent of one's intimate relations" (1950) [edit] Middle adulthood (40 to 65 years) •	Psychosocial Crisis: Generativity vs. Stagnation Generativity is the concern of establishing and guiding the next generation. Socially-valued work and disciplines are expressions of generativity. Simply having or wanting children does not in and of itself achieve generativity. [edit] Late adulthood (from 65 years) Psychosocial crisis: Integrity vs Despair Someone who can look back on good times with gladness, on hard times with self-respect, and on mistakes and regrets with forgiveness will find a new sense of integrity and a readiness for whatever life or death may bring. A person caught up in old sadness, unable to forgive themselves or others for perceived wrongs, and dissatisfied with the life they've led, will easily drift into depression and despair. The fundamental question is, "What kind of life have I lived?" A positive outcome of this crisis is achieved if the individual gains a sense of fulfillment about life and a sense of unity within himself and with others. That way, he can accept death with a sense of integrity. Just as a healthy child will not fear life, the healthy adult will not fear death. A negative outcome of this crisis causes the individual to despair and fear death. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.87.208.90 (talk) 11:52, 5 September 2008 (UTC)

Misnomer
Psychosocial development goes w-a-y beyond Erik Erikson. Why is his theory the only one discussed here? Why is there no discussion of the research conducted in this area? This article should be renamed Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development to reflect what it's really about. 12.76.156.73 (talk) 19:10, 14 November 2008 (UTC)


 * I agree that the entry as it stands should be called something like Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development as that is what it is about. For the time being, why not rename it & set up a redirect from Psychosocial development to this one? That way, no one is claiming that Erikson's is the only theory of pschosocial development, but anyone who is looking for Psychosocial development will still get to this page. If someone wants to write a more general entry on Psychosocial development at some point, this leaves the door open for them to do so without having to change this entry.missdipsy (talk) 11:23, 28 April 2009 (UTC)

Split this up into pages
I think this should be split up into separate pages for each aspect of human development. For example, there could be one about an infant or a teenager. I think many of these are already created, but they should have more clear links so others can see them better. K50 Dude (talk page)
 * Strongly disagree with this proposal. Erikson's is a self-containing model, and only requires one article. "Stages" of life are already commonly recognized, and documented in articles such as Middle age, which themselves make references to Erikson - to the extent that he is relevant. Of course, splitting this article and allowing Erikson to unduly dominate other articles would violate our policies. forestPIG(grunt) 04:34, 21 November 2008 (UTC)

School age
Could we decide the age at which school starts? (Obviously it varies by country.) What was Erikson's original school age? Could we add a note to explain?


 * People need to stop changing things because of their subjectivity. There is one right way according to the original work. 68.199.216.71 (talk) 13:02, 12 July 2018 (UTC)

Historical context
When did Erikson develop and publish his theory? Was it in his Childhood and Society, i.e., in 1950? I think this information is currently missing from the article, or at least, it isn't explicitly spelled out. &mdash; Tobias Bergemann (talk) 11:08, 15 June 2009 (UTC)

Identity vs. Role confusion
There are only 7 of the 8 stages here. The Identity vs. Role confusion (12-19) section is missing. 118.93.161.222 (talk) 03:57, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

Table
I was thinking of putting up a table. any thoughts? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.197.214.184 (talk) 05:57, 3 December 2011 (UTC)


 * You might want to change the block where Significant Relationship and Infancy intersect to read, "Parents." Long gone are the days where fathers weren't an integral part of the development of their infant children.  These days, fathers change diapers, co-sleep, bottle-feed, play with, nurture, comfort, encourage, guide, teach, and otherwise spend a great deal of time with their 0-23 month-olds, helping answer their question of, "Can I trust the world?" with a resounding, "YES -- with caution."  I was the one who helped my son learn how to navigate a jungle gym without slipping and hurting himself, beginning at just four months.  I was the one who put the double papasan cushion on the floor and let him crawl all over me, catching him when he fell off -- but only until he could catch himself, or learned how to take a tumble.  I was the one who helped him learn that playing with spiders was a no-no, particularly the black ones with the red hourglass on their bellies.  I was the one who...  You get my drift.  The idea that only "Mother" should be in that block is steeped in 18th century stoicism.  In fact, it's rarely been the case either throughout history or throughout the world, and certainly isn't the normative case today.Clepsydrae (talk) 15:46, 30 April 2017 (UTC)

The first stage
HannahRC (talk) 21:47, 9 December 2011 (UTC) the first stage has been deleted we should put it back up!

The 9th stage
HannahRC (talk) 03:35, 14 December 2011 (UTC) there is a 9th stage that was made by Erickson's wife what do you think about including something about it towards the end of the page?

New on page
My name is Briana and I'll be working on this page for a class project. If anyone has any suggestions to give me, they are more than welcome. Maryannb1001 (talk) 22:38, 23 March 2012 (UTC)

"Competence" section
"The aim to bring a productive situation to completion gradually supersedes the whims and wishes of play. The fundamentals of technology are developed." Sentence structure lacks flow with few grammatical errors. Please consider re-arranging in attempt to make this easier to understand. Alexandrapotvin (talk) 19:16, 3 February 2018 (UTC)

Did the writer intend to use the word "dystonic" instead of "diatonic"?
From the section labeled "Ninth stage", appearing in the second paragraph

here is the line of text: the psychosocial crisis was "Trust vs. Mistrust" with Trust being the "syntonic quotient" and Mistrust being the "diatonic".[17]

referring to a dictionary, I am unable to find any instance where the meaning of the word "diatonic" can be applied in this context, whereas replacing the word with "dystonic' does clarify the meaning of the sentence.

thank you 173.87.36.251 (talk) 03:22, 2 July 2018 (UTC)emile gaiera


 * Per Google Books, that is correct. Good catch! Editing now. Thomas Craven (talk) 13:44, 2 July 2018 (UTC)

Ages of stages
The ages of stages are wrong. They are sourced from a non-erikson source. Looking through sources on internet ages vary - but having the Industry vs Inferiority starting at 9-12 is just wrong. Competence starts at elementary school according to erikson. This is just false information and is probably part of our culture of infantilizing of children and extending adolescence. The best sources I've found, without having the books, is:

https://www.businessballs.com/self-management/eriksons-psychosocial-theory-of-human-development/#erikson_psychosocial_theory_summary

No other sources online agree with this pages ages. *All* other information online disagree with this pages ages, all have competence starting at 5:

http://www.jemome.com/p-erikson-s-stages-of-development-powerpoint-1512649/

http://www.integratedsociopsychology.net/lifespan/psychosocial-development/psychosexual-development-2/

https://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/teachereducationx92x1/chapter/eriksons-stages-of-psychosocial-development/

http://www.floridahealth.gov/alternatesites/cms-kids/providers/early_steps/training/documents/eriksons_stages.pdf

http://web.bvu.edu/faculty/goodfriend/documents/surveys/Identity%20vs%20Role%20Confusion/Reference.pdf

https://resources.saylor.org/wwwresources/archived/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PSYCH302a_Wikipedia_Eriksons-stages-of-psychosocial-development_12.10.12.pdf

http://www.social-psychology.de/do/pt_erikson.pdf

https://www.psychologynoteshq.com/erikerikson/

I would like to know the true ages of Erikson's stages, but there does not seem to be a definitive source from Erikson. It makes sense that he used the template of Freud's stages in his work. I also know from experience with my kids that the online stages ages match more exactly than the current wiki entries ages.

Can we please resolve, hopefully from the original material.

Sources that have no ages:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/302967091_Erikson_Erik_H

https://llk.media.mit.edu/courses/readings/Erikson-Identity-Ch2.pdf

http://childdevpsychology.yolasite.com/resources/theory%20of%20identity%20erikson.pdf

Proposed edit:

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Erikson%27s_stages_of_psychosocial_development&diff=879478795&oldid=879107213 --68.199.216.71 (talk) 14:48, 22 January 2019 (UTC)


 * See this talkpage edit, from which it follows that the present years are based on some textbook. See also this talkpage edit, which looks as though it is a copy from an old version of this article, but mentions different ages. Debresser (talk) 21:09, 23 January 2019 (UTC)
 * Some research of article history shows that ages were changed a few times, most majorly in this series of IP edits. I would have no problem with going back to the original ages. Debresser (talk) 21:31, 23 January 2019 (UTC)
 * I agree Debresser. I believe there is not an explicit age range mentioned in the original Erikson's work. I would like some kind of disclaimer in article saying 'ages of stages are in dispute' until someone sources it from original work of Erikson or explains why the ages were implicitly described by Erikson based on earlier work (Freud's?) 68.199.216.71 (talk) 23:52, 23 January 2019 (UTC)
 * I can not agree to your wishes regarding a dispute tag. First of all because that claim is based on no more than your personal believes, as you readily admit. Secondly, because you have given me no indication that there is any such academic dispute. What you could do, is add a tag asking for a source (and indicating the present lack thereof). Debresser (talk) 02:56, 24 January 2019 (UTC)
 * What about all of the links above that dispute the current age of stages in the article? Are any of those reputable sources? The problem is, we know the current pages ages are wrong, and we know there has been no consistent edits in the history that settle on one set of ages. Excerpts from the books by Erikson do not specify ages. 68.199.216.71 (talk)

Expanding further
I am a senior studying for a bachelor's in Psychology. I read this article for an assignment in my Adult Development class, normally taken by juniors and seniors. As I looked over and read this article, I was astonished by how basic the information was and how little agreement there is on basic things such as the age ranges of stages. This topic is covered in the beginning levels of psychological programs. I was impressed that seemingly all of the basic ideas were covered on the page but it lacked detail meaningful for those who have a greater understanding than basic psychologic principles, or even just a consensus of age ranges of the different stages of life. There could be more debt, including clarification of advancements made from the foundation that Erikson laid. I also think that it would be beneficial for a review and revision of the lead. It gives a very basic understanding of what the article will talk about but does not give any insight into why it's important or even a proper preview of the content about to be covered. BYUIBlair (talk) 05:29, 2 October 2020 (UTC)
 * I think this article will benefit from information that you can add. Please make sure to source your contributions. Please also remember that a lead must only summarize the article, and the proper place for expansion is in the article itself.

Proposed citation for statement in lead summary
In the opening summary, the last sentence is flagged "citation needed." Support for that statement seems to be provided here: Adventures in Identity Development: The Impact of Adventure Recreation on Adolescent Identity Development, which states the following: "'Results indicated that program participants experienced significant identity development when contrasted with the comparison group.'"Not ready to "be bold" because the summary might be indicating that remediation can occur...that "problems" of "mastery" can actually be overcome; whereas the paper may only be describing development that is enhanced or accelerated. (Is "significant identity development" enough to modify previous developmental outcomes?) Any 2¢ will be appreciated. azwaldo (talk) 01:00, 17 December 2020 (UTC)
 * Revised text, added citation azwaldo (talk) 17:35, 27 December 2020 (UTC)

Intentions to Improve Article
Some of the things I am hoping to work on in this article is doing a more thorough check for flow, spelling, and grammatical errors. I am planning to check for any information that is missing or that is not completely relevant. I would also want to see if there is more recent research to add that would be applicable to this article. Asemadeni (talk) 03:55, 21 January 2021 (UTC)


 * What information is there of any relevance to anything? Given the absence of the point of the subject matter? The stages are great in so far as they go: no-one's criticising the stages. Trouble is, they're going nowhere. The point is ... what, exactly? What is the prognosis for those who answer 'no' to stage 1? 2? 3? All of them? It is incorrect to describe the stages as the un-qualified stages of human development. They are not. They are the typical, or ideal - or any other number of adjective - stages. That comparatively few humans experience, with an answer of 'yes' to each stage, at least. Very few indeed, I'd suggest. 49.179.8.135 (talk) 20:06, 14 July 2023 (UTC)

Media Content
I believe the use of a table is very wise to outline each stage in a clear way where readers can quickly access information. However, I do not obtain enough helpful information in the chart displayed on the page. The existential question does not necessarily clarify what each stage feels like. Perhaps more clear information can be provided in the table while still keeping it concise. Macey.hill (talk) 04:12, 30 September 2021 (UTC)

Evaluation Comment
This article provides a thorough layout of Erikson's different stages, but could be more precise with its language. It should also remain neutral by including how Erikson's stages have helped in the development of psychology rather than focusing on the criticism he received. Some of the sources are also very out of date, including resources from the 1950s-1980s.2605:7FC0:0:101:89B6:3F6C:5056:CD6A (talk) 04:24, 3 May 2022 (UTC)

The article needs to be more concise in the introduction, it talks too much about its history, yet it doesn’t introduce the concept as it should. 2605:7FC0:0:112:9C3B:A1E2:B1E:5059 (talk) 05:53, 3 May 2022 (UTC)Camila Alvarez

Wiki Education assignment: Adult Development Spring 2022
— Assignment last updated by Gal17014 (talk) 20:57, 8 June 2022 (UTC)

Wiki Education assignment: Developmental Psychology
— Assignment last updated by Explorepsych (talk) 19:58, 12 April 2023 (UTC)

Change of pronouns from: him or her, to: them
Especially in the section about identities forming, I do not think it to be prudent for there to be especially specific genders mentioned, limiting the identities of (lack) other genders. Should this be changed in this section or in all? And how should it be changed? Would it be them, the infant, the adolescent, or the early/middle/late adult?

Additionally, and unrelated to the subject line; is the word “seory” at the end of the criticism section a typo, or could a clarification to the meaning of the word be added or changed to a more commonly known word?

Megabits13 (talk) 22:30, 8 May 2023 (UTC)


 * Note: now that i have read through it more closely, it does use the time/age, or them sometimes. The pronoun usage in this article is inconsistent and should be consistent. Megabits13 (talk) 22:33, 8 May 2023 (UTC)

Wiki Education assignment: Adult Development Fall 2023
— Assignment last updated by Tsuki2023 (talk) 21:35, 6 November 2023 (UTC)

In-depth explanations
￼ While reading this article I was able to reflect on other definitions and explanations that I learned about from Erikson's different stages of psychosocial development. A question arose while I was reading and reflecting, does everyone go through these stages at the same time? Can cultural or environmental variables affect these stages and specific outcomes that might stem from them? This article could provide a little more depth and experience. Simreestolk0 (talk) 04:53, 26 September 2023 (UTC)Simreestolk0 (talk) 04:52, 26 September 2023 (UTC)Simreestolk0 (talk) 04:50, 26 September 2023 (UTC)

Wikipedia Project- Adult Development Winter 2024
This article is the one I evaluated for my Wikipedia evaluation assignment. - Eeettt2001 (talk) 00:26, 23 January 2024 (UTC)