Erickson's stages of life outline a developmental framework, emphasizing the psychosocial challenges faced at different life stages. The first stage, infancy, revolves around the challenge of trust, where a baby's progress is reliant on their basic needs being met. Toddlers face the stage of autonomy, which involves exploring and taking risks within a secure environment. As children enter preschool and elementary school, they confront the stage of initiative and then industry, characterized by increased responsibilities like homework. Adolescents must navigate the challenge of forming a separate identity from their family, which is often accompanied by impulsive behaviors. Early adulthood entails developing intimacy, focusing on building both romantic and platonic relationships. The generativity stage, occurring in late middle age, shifts attention towards contributing to something greater than oneself, such as mentoring the next generation. Failing to successfully manage this stage may result in continued self-centered ambition, hindering personal fulfillment. Following generativity, individuals reflect on their lives during the wisdom or integrity stage, contemplating their life choices. Joan, Erickson's wife, proposed a ninth stage that encompasses various struggles, likening it to a final level in a game where individuals confront multiple past challenges simultaneously, mirroring the vulnerabilities experienced in earlier stages of life.
Should government jobs have mandatory retirement ages? Is it foolish to care about your legacy? And why did Jason always call Angela’s father “Dr. Lee”?
- SOURCES:
- William Bridges, professor emeritus of American literature at Mills College, consultant, and author.
- Arthur Brooks, professor of leadership at Harvard University.
- Jimmy Carter, former President of the United States and founder of the Carter Center.
- Erik Erikson, 20th-century psychoanalyst.
- Craig Fox, professor of management at the University of California, Los Angeles.
- Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University.
- Mitt Romney, U.S. Senator from Utah.
- RESOURCES:
- "Congress Today Is Older Than It's Ever Been," by Geoffrey Skelley (FiveThirtyEight, 2023).
- "America’s Bosses Just Won’t Quit. That Could Spell Trouble," (The Economist, 2023).
- "At What Age Is Your Brain the Sharpest?" by Kendra Cherry (Verywell Mind, 2023).
- "Mitt Romney Announces He Won’t Seek Reelection as He Calls for ‘New Generation of Leaders’," by Clare Foran (CNN, 2023).
- From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life, by Arthur Brooks (2022).
- "Psychological Research on Retirement," by Mo Wang and Junqi Shi (Annual Review of Psychology, 2014).
- "Daniel Kahneman in Conversation with Craig Fox," (2004).
- "The Psychology of Life Stories," by Dan P. McAdams (Review of General Psychology, 2001).
- Childhood and Society, by Erik Erikson (1950).
- Bridges Transition Model.