Epigenetic concept of E. E. Erickson's epigenetic theory of development

While psychoanalysis still draws a line between the psychosexual and the psychosocial, I have tried to bridge the two.

E. Erickson

Erik Homburger Erikson (1902-1994) is rightfully considered one of the outstanding followers of psychoanalysis and representatives of ego psychology. His parents, of Danish origin, separated before the birth of his son. At the age of three, his adoptive father was the children's doctor Homburger, who gave Eric care and his name. Eric's childhood passed in the German city of Karlsruhe, where he graduated from high school and gymnasium. After a short trip, Erickson studied at a local art school. Another formal education he didn't get any more. In 1925, thanks to an acquaintance with Dr. Peter Blos, Erikson began teaching in Vienna at a children's school, the teaching staff of which had psychoanalytic training. Anna Freud took part in the leadership of the school, with whom Erickson subsequently underwent a personal analysis. Erickson had the good fortune to do clinical work with August Eichhorn, Edward Bibring, Helen Deutsch, Heinz Hartmann, Ernst Kris, and other psychoanalysts around Sigmund Freud. The subject of his close study is the process of development of children, as well as the social conditions necessary for this. In 1933, after marrying a young American woman, Joan Serson, Erickson moved to America, where he was a professor at Harvard University for most of his life.

Erickson's merit was that he, having psychoanalytic information, developed a holistic theory of the development of the individual, for the first time extending it far beyond the oedipal phase of development. Erickson suggested that along with the stages of psychosexual development described by Freud (oral, anal, phallic and genital), during which the direction of attraction changes (from autoeroticism to an external object), there are also psychological stages of development of the Self, when the individual establishes basic guidelines in relation to themselves and their social environment. The formation of personality does not end in adolescence, but extends to the entire life cycle.. The individual develops continuously throughout his life according to a certain "basic plan", while relatively stable phases of development are replaced by periods of crisis, during which there is a "consolidation" of all mental functions. The process of development takes place in the so-called nuclear family, which is significantly influenced by social trends and cultural crises.

To confirm his own hypotheses, Erickson used the richest clinical experience, long-term observations of children, as well as comparative studies of modern and traditional culture (mainly on the example of Indian tribes).

E. Erickson made an invaluable contribution to the development of such an important concept as identity. Currently, this term is widely used in the scientific, psychological and social environment. At the same time, identity was not clearly defined by Z. Freud and still does not have a single meaning. Erickson pointed out that for the first time this concept was purposefully applied and researched during World War II at the Veterans Rehabilitation Clinic on Mount Zion. Once in the extreme conditions of war, people have lost a sense of identity and the continuity of time. They have lost control of the ego. Therefore, Erickson proposed to designate this phenomenon as identity I, or ego identity, and the state of loss of identity - as identity crisis. Erickson wrote: In the twenty years since the term was first used <…> it has acquired so many meanings that, it would seem, it is time to expand the boundaries of its use » .

IN different time this term was used in different values. Initially, however, the understanding of identity as identity of a person to himself. In modern psychoanalysis identity defined as " a relatively long, but not necessarily stable, perception of oneself as unique, coherent, unified in time » .

The concept of identity has something in common with several closely related concepts. For example, self- a holistic personal organization; I-concept- "self-explanation", including predominantly conscious aspects of the self; identity- the subjective experience of oneself as a constant in time and different from others. While identity denotes a firmly learned and personally accepted self image in all the richness of the relationship of the individual to the world around him, a sense of the adequacy and stability of his own Self (regardless of changes in the Self and the situation) is what provides the ability to fully solve the problems that arise before the personality at each stage of its development.

The sense of identity arises with the child's awareness that he exists as an individual in a world of other objects, but also possesses own desires, thoughts appearance, different from others. The sense of identity reaches a certain stability only after the end of adolescence, when the problems of bisexual identification are resolved. Identity is an indicator of a mature (adult) personality; I manifests itself in the views of the individual, ideals, norms, behavior and role in society. Currently, the concept of identity is used in a wide variety of aspects: personal identity, group (racial, national, family, professional) gender (gender) professional, etc.

E. Erickson considered identity main characteristic, applicable to the gradual personality development through phase-specific psychosocial crises. He built an original scheme of human development throughout life, based on epigenetic principle, as a result of which its periodization life path and received the same name. The term was borrowed from Harvey William Harvey's biological theory of the germinal development of an organism, where epigenesis was understood as a process carried out by successive neoplasms.

In 1950, Erickson's main work, Childhood and Society, was published, where the researcher significantly expanded the traditional understanding of the stages of psychosexual development. In his opinion, at each stage of development, new modes, or ways, of organizing a holistic human behavior appear. For example, at the first, oral, stage, this is a mode of absorption, at the second, retention-release, etc. Erickson emphasized the importance for development reciprocity individual factors and society as a whole, since even the attitude of a mother to a newborn child is largely determined by the social precepts prevailing in the culture.

The stages of development are also stages in the formation of psychosocial identity. In total, Erickson allocated eight steps of life .

In the first stage (0-18 months), which Erickson, following psychoanalysis, calls oral-sensory(or incorporative, absorbing), the infant solves the fundamental question of his entire subsequent life: whether he trusts the world around him or not? Naturally, the question of basic trust in the world is not resolved in a discursive-logical way, but in the communication of a child with an adult and contact with his environment through the absorption of sounds, colors, light, heat and cold, food, smiles and gestures, etc. Erickson points to the mother's key role in building basic trust in the world. At the same time, he considers the child's ability to calmly endure the disappearance of the mother from sight as a criterion for the formation of trust in the world.

The progressive autonomy of the infant (the ability to move, the development of speech, manipulative abilities) allows the child to move to the second - musculo-anal stage (18 months - 4 years). At this stage, two new modes appear - retention and release. Accordingly, the second vital task becomes gaining autonomy versus shame and doubt. If adults are over-demanding to a child or, on the contrary, are in a hurry to do for him what he can do for himself, then he develops shyness and indecision. When a child is scolded for soiled pants or a broken cup, then this is also a “contribution to development” feelings of shame and self-doubt. At this age, the child internalizes what Erickson called the eyes of the world, which determines his subsequent attitude to the principles of law and order.

The third stage (4 years - 6 years) is named locomotor-genital. IN classical psychoanalysis this phase is called the oedipal phase. Here the child seeks to penetrate, conquer and overcome. At this age, the space of the child's life activity expands, he begins to set goals for himself, come up with activities, show ingenuity in speech, and fantasize about his own grandiosity. This stage is imbued with a spirit of competition, which can lead to feelings of defeat and castration. From this moment on, the child will never leave the feeling of internal discord. The result of this period of life is both a bitter sense of guilt and a sweet feeling of having one's own initiative.

Fourth stage (6–11 years) - latent, differs from the previous ones, because there is no new source of internal discord in it. It has to do with the possession of the child. various skills, with training. The child actively learns cultural symbols. This age is optimal time for learning and discipline. The child must now learn to seek recognition through actual achievement. The school becomes the spokesman for the demands of society as a whole. The main danger lies in the fact that the child may acquire here a stable sense of inferiority - incompetence. To eliminate the consequences of the previous phases and overcome feelings of inferiority, many children show excessive application, which can later turn into automatic conformity.

Fifth stage (11-20 years old) - teenage years And early youth is key to acquiring a sense of identity. At this time, the adolescent fluctuates between the positive pole of self identification and the negative pole of role confusion. A teenager is faced with the task of combining everything that he knows about himself as a son / daughter, a schoolboy, an athlete, a friend, etc. He must integrate all this into a single whole, comprehend, connect with the past and project it into the future. With a successful course of the crisis of adolescence, boys and girls develop a sense of identity, with an unfavorable - confused (diffuse) identity, coupled with painful doubts about oneself, one's place in a group, in society, with an ambiguity in life prospects.

For this reason, Erickson introduces the term psychological moratorium, which denotes a crisis period between youth and adulthood, during which multidimensional complex processes of acquiring an adult identity and a new attitude to the world take place in a person. The crisis that has not been overcome causes a state of identity diffusion, which forms the basis of the specific pathology of adolescence. Under adverse conditions, a mental moratorium can take on a protracted character and last for years, which is typical for the most gifted people.

Sixth stage (21 years - 25 years) - early adulthood,- according to Erickson, it marks the transition to solving adult problems on the basis of a formed psychosocial identity. Now that u young man enough strong feeling self-identification, he is ready to connect his identity with the identity of other people. Young people enter into friendships, marriages, children appear. Only now can true genitality emerge. Erickson significantly expands the concept of genitality, including in it, in addition to the reciprocity of orgasm, a number of psychosexual characteristics: relationships with a partner with whom a person wants and can experience mutual trust, wants and can harmonize life spheres and produce offspring, which will provide all stages of satisfactory development.

Thus, the main condition for harmonious sexual relations is capacity for intimacy. In the event that it is not sufficiently developed, a person tends to isolation, which in turn gives rise to depression, psychopathology of character or mental disorders. Isolation does not necessarily mean living alone as an adult. It implies the absence of psychological intimacy and the exchange of identities, even in the presence of marriage, when the relationship can be described as "loneliness together." Thus, the intrapsychic content of this stage can be designated as intimacy versus isolation .

Seventh stage (25–50–60 years) – adulthood- is associated with the contradiction between a person's ability to develop and personal stagnation, regression of the personality in the process of everyday life, which Erickson refers to as generativity versus stagnation. The reward for mastering the ability to self-development is the formation of human individuality, originality. A person acquires the ability to be himself. An important neoplasm is also the readiness to procreate and give oneself and one's life to another person.

Eighth stage (after 60 years) - maturity- completes life. Here, reaping the fruits of a lived life, a person either finds peace and balance as a result of the integrity of his personality, or is doomed to hopeless despair as a result of a confused life. The question is being decided: what will prevail - integrity or despair? The meaning of this stage is the integration of all parts of the personality, the result of which is a sense of moral satisfaction and an orientation towards moral values. On the other hand, an individual who has not been able to actively satisfy his needs becomes a hostage to a sense of despair and the meaninglessness of his life. Emphasizing the connection between the individual and the social process, Erickson writes: Healthy children will not be afraid of life if the old people around them have sufficient integrity. » .

Thus, the human personality develops in steps in accordance with individual programs. The Society tries to ensure and encourage the proper speed and consistency of their disclosure. Each stage of development has its strengths and weaknesses and its own emotional crises. At the same time, failure at one stage can negatively affect the passage of the next stage or can be corrected by subsequent successes.

Erickson emphasizes how important it is to correlate the mechanisms of mutual adaptation of the individual and society. As an example, he cites the process of formation national identity, linking the behavior of specific people (for example, American mothers in relation to their children) with the history of the people. According to Erickson, moral and national identity has a function collective ego. For example, national character Americans is associated primarily with the value of individual initiative, which was the result of a number of circumstances: Protestantism, rational adaptation to dangerous living conditions, industrialization of the natural environment, individualism.

The last chapters of Erickson's work are devoted to a complex but meaningful analysis of prominent personalities: political career Hitler on the material of the book "My Struggle" ("Mein Kampf") and the childhood of Maxim Gorky on the example of the Soviet film "Gorky's Childhood". In the case of Hitler's book, Erickson drew attention to its inherent qualities of myth and legend, in which historical truth and fiction are mixed in such a way that everything looks plausible. Analyzing the phenomenon of Hitler, Erickson comes to the conclusion that the “brown piper” touched the “necessary strings” of the Germans due to the crisis of the national identity of the Germans as a result of numerous historical traumas. Nazism offered real means of achieving a sense of common identity through racial superiority, Jew-hatred, and world war. His goal was not only to make the Germans forget about the defeat of Germany in the First World War, but also to completely cleanse German culture of the foreign values ​​that struck it. As a result, the mutual identification of the leader with the nation and mass worship of their Fuhrer became possible: “The most brutal exploiters of the nation’s struggle to save identity were Adolf Hitler and his accomplices, who for a decade turned out to be the undisputed political and military masters of a great, hardworking and diligent people” .

According to Erickson, the fear of losing identity dominates the irrational motivation of any person, mobilizing the entire arsenal of anxiety emerging from childhood. In this critical state, the masses tend to seek salvation in pseudo identity. The total defeat of the people, according to Erickson, causes a feeling total uniqueness and willingness to submit to someone who can offer a sense of total power, cohesion and a new identity, ridding of a meaningless past. The history of totalitarian regimes is the most bright to that proof.

Analyzing the film "Gorky's Childhood", Erickson explores the qualities of the legend of Maxim's childhood and the resulting changes in the identity of Russian youth. He highlights the similarities between the legend of Hitler and Gorky. Both were headstrong boys and developed in a bitter struggle with the father figure. Both experienced in adolescence a mental shock from a meaningless existence and the futility of rebellion. Both were close to extreme despair.

In a brief historical excursion, the researcher recalls that two great Russian tsars - Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great - killed their sons (the first personally, the second - with the help of other people). Thanks to historical reality, the tsar in Russia became a symbol compassionate autocracy. Such sympathy for kings, cruel fathers and grandfathers is characteristic of masochistic submission.

In 1958, Erickson published The Young Luther, which bridged psychoanalytic and historical research. One of the central ideas of the book is that a great man's identity crisis can be the cause of historical change. Erickson vividly and convincingly describes the internal struggle and heartache a generously gifted person, which reflected the problem of the identity of most of the German people. Luther's inner split led him to rebel against his own father and increase his need for the power of God. With the help of the reform of the church, Luther tries to make the dogmas of reason out of the dogmas of faith. He preached that God's voice in the soul is one's own conscience. Thus, a believer becomes responsible for his choice - what to believe and what to do.

In 1969, Erickson wrote another book about a great man, Gandhi's Truth. As in the previous case, he was interested in the synthesis of forces (historical, geographical, socio-economic, ethical, individual) that determine the development of an outstanding personality. The study of the lives of people like Martin Luther and Mahatma Gandhi reflected Erickson's deep interest in moral issues. In 1960 he gave a talk on the development of human virtues. In addition to the seven Christian virtues, he speaks of inner strength and activity, which are of great importance for a particular stage of development. Each stage generates its own virtue:

Erik Erickson used concepts familiar to everyone to show what exactly strengthens the totality of human life forces within the framework of people's relationships with each other and with humanity as a whole. Harmonious combination psychodynamic method with biographical and historical analysis allowed Erickson to go far beyond individual development human and significantly expand the vision of psychosocial reality.

Erik Erickson's theory arose from the practice of psychoanalysis. He interprets the structure of the personality in the same way as 3. Freud (as consisting of "It", "I", "Super-I"), the stages of personality development discovered by Freud are not rejected by Erickson, but become more complicated and, as it were, re-interpreted with positions of the new historical time. The psychosocial concept of personality development developed by Erickson shows the close relationship between the human psyche and the nature of the society in which he lives. Comparing the upbringing of children in Indian tribes with the upbringing of white American children led him to conclude that in every culture there is a special style of raising children - it is always accepted by the mother as the only correct one. This style is determined by what the society in which he lives expects from the child. Each stage of human development corresponds to its own, inherent in this society, expectations, which a person can justify or not justify. The entire childhood of a person - from birth to adolescence - is considered by Erickson as a long period of formation of a mature psychosocial identity, as a result of which a person acquires an objective sense of belonging to his social group, an understanding of the uniqueness of his individual being. The core around which personality is built is the acquisition of ego-identity.

Erickson introduced the concept of "group identity", which is formed from the first days of life. The child is focused on being included in a certain social group, begins to understand the world the way this group does. But gradually the child develops "ego-identity", a sense of stability and continuity of his "I", despite the fact that there are many processes of change. The formation of ego-identity is a long process, it includes a number of stages of personality development. Each stage is characterized by the tasks of this age, and the tasks are put forward by society. But the solution of problems is determined by the already achieved level of psychomotor development of a person and the spiritual atmosphere of the society in which a person lives. At the stage of infancy (stage 1), the main role in the life of the child is played by the mother, she feeds, cares, gives affection, care, as a result of which the child develops a basic trust in the world. Basic trust is manifested in the ease of feeding, good sleep of the child, normal bowel function, the ability of the child to calmly wait for the mother (does not scream, does not call, the child is sure that the mother will come and do what is needed). The dynamics of trust development depends on the mother. What is important here is not the quantity of food, but the quality of child care, the mother's confidence in her actions is important. If the mother is anxious, neurotic, if the situation in the family is tense, if the child is given little attention (for example, a child in an orphanage), a basic distrust of the world, stable pessimism is formed. A pronounced deficit in emotional communication with the infant leads to a sharp slowdown in mental development child.

2nd stage early childhood associated with the formation of autonomy and independence, the child begins to walk, learns to control himself when performing acts of defecation; society and parents accustom the child to neatness, tidiness, begin to shame for "wet pants". Social disapproval opens the child's eyes inward, he feels the possibility of punishment, a sense of shame is formed. At the end of the stage there must be a balance of "autonomy" and "shame". This ratio will be positively favorable for the development of the child, if the parents do not suppress the desires of the child, do not beat them for wrongdoing. At the age of 3-6 years, at the 3rd stage, the child is already convinced that he is a person, as he runs, knows how to speak, expands the area of ​​​​mastering the world, the child develops a sense of enterprise, initiative, which is laid in the child's game. The game is very important for the development of the child, that is, it forms initiative, creativity, the child masters relationships between people through the game, develops his mental abilities: will, memory, thinking, etc. But if parents strongly suppress the child, do not pay attention to his games, this negatively affects the development of the child, contributes to the consolidation of passivity, insecurity, guilt. At primary school age (4th stage), the child has already exhausted the possibilities of development within the family, and now the school introduces the child to knowledge about future activities, transfers the technological experience of culture. If a child successfully masters knowledge, new skills, he believes in his own strength, he is confident, calm, but failures at school lead to the appearance, and sometimes to consolidation, of a feeling of inferiority, disbelief in his own strength, despair, loss of interest in learning. In case of inferiority, the child, as it were, returns to the family again, it is a refuge for him, if the parents with understanding try to help the child overcome difficulties in learning. In the event that parents only scold and punish for bad grades, a child’s feeling of inferiority is sometimes fixed for the rest of his life. In adolescence (stage 5), the central form of ego-identity is formed. Rapid physiological growth, puberty, concern about how he looks in front of others, the need to find his professional vocation, abilities, skills - these are the questions that confront a teenager, and these are society's requirements for a teenager about self-determination. At this stage, all critical past moments rise up again. If in the early stages the child has formed autonomy, initiative, trust in the world, confidence in his usefulness, significance, then the teenager successfully creates a holistic form of ego-identity, finds his "I", self-recognition from others. Otherwise, identity diffusion occurs, the teenager cannot find his "I", is not aware of his goals and desires, there is a return, regression to infantile, childish, dependent reactions, a vague but stable feeling of anxiety appears, a feeling of loneliness, emptiness, a constant expectation of something that can change life, but the person himself does not actively undertake anything, there is a fear of personal communication and an inability to emotionally influence persons of the opposite sex, hostility, contempt for the surrounding society, a feeling of "non-recognition of oneself" from the people around. If a person has found himself, then identification is facilitated. At the 6th stage (youth), the search for a life partner becomes relevant for a person, close cooperation with people, strengthening ties with his social group, a person is not afraid of depersonalization, he mixes his identity with other people, a feeling of closeness, unity, cooperation, intimacy appears from certain people. However, if the diffusion of identity passes to this age, the person becomes isolated, isolation and loneliness are fixed. 7th - the central stage - the adult stage of personality development. The development of identity goes on throughout life, there is an impact on the part of other people, especially children, they confirm that they need you. Positive symptoms of this stage: a person invests himself in good, beloved work and care for children, is satisfied with himself and life. If there is no one to pour out one's "I" on (no favorite work, family, children), then the person is devastated, stagnation, inertia, psychological and physiological regression is outlined. As a rule, such negative symptoms are strongly pronounced if the personality has been prepared for this throughout the course of its development, if there have always been negative choices at the stages of development. After 50 years (8th stage), a complete form of ego-identity is created on the basis of the entire path of personality development, a person rethinks his whole life, realizes his "I" in spiritual reflections about the past years. A person must understand that his life is a unique destiny that does not need to be redone, a person "accepts" himself and his life, realizes the need for a logical conclusion of life, shows wisdom, a detached interest in life in the face of death. If "acceptance of oneself and life" has not happened, a person feels disappointment, loses the taste for life, feels that life has gone wrong, in vain.

According to Erickson, a person experiences eight psychosocial crises throughout life, specific for each age, the favorable or unfavorable outcome of which determines the possibility of the subsequent flourishing of the personality.

The first crisis a person experiences in the first year of life. It is related to whether or not the basic physiological needs of the child are met by the person caring for him. In the first case, the child develops a feeling of deep trust in the world around him, and in the second - distrust of him.

The second crisis is connected with the first learning experience, especially with teaching the child to cleanliness. If the parents understand the child and help him control the natural functions, the child gains an experience of autonomy. On the contrary, too strict or too inconsistent external control leads to the development of shame or doubt in the child, mainly associated with the fear of losing control over his own body.

The third crisis corresponds to the second childhood. At this age, the child's self-assertion takes place. The plans that he constantly makes and which he is allowed to carry out, contribute to the development of his sense of initiative. On the contrary, the experience of repeated failures and irresponsibility can lead him to resignation and guilt.

The fourth crisis occurs at school age. At school, the child learns to work, preparing for future tasks. Depending on the atmosphere prevailing in the school and the methods of education adopted, the child develops a taste for work or, on the contrary, a feeling of inferiority, both in terms of the use of means and opportunities, and in terms of his own status among his comrades.

The fifth crisis is experienced by adolescents of both sexes in search of identification (assimilation of patterns of behavior of other people that are significant for a teenager). This process involves bringing together the adolescent's past experiences, his potentialities and the choices he must make. The adolescent's inability to identify, or the difficulties associated with it, can lead to "dispersion" or confusion about the roles that the adolescent plays or will play in the affective, social and professional spheres.

The sixth crisis is peculiar to young adults. It is associated with the search for closeness with a loved one, with whom he will have to go through the cycle of "work-bearing children-leisure" in order to ensure that his children develop properly.

The absence of such experience leads to the isolation of a person and his closure on himself.

The seventh crisis is experienced by a person at the age of forty. It is characterized by the development of a sense of the preservation of the family (generativity), which is expressed mainly in "interest in the next generation and its upbringing." This period of life is characterized by high productivity and creativity in various fields. If, on the contrary, the evolution of married life goes in a different way, it can freeze in a state of pseudo-intimacy (stagnation), which dooms the spouses to exist only for themselves, with the risk of impoverishment of interpersonal relationships.

The eighth crisis is experienced during aging. It marks the end of the previous life path, and the resolution depends on how this path was traveled. A person's achievement of wholeness is based on summing up the results of his past life and awareness of it as a single whole, in which nothing can be changed. If a person cannot bring his past actions together, he ends his life in fear of death and in despair at the impossibility of starting life anew.

epigenetic theory Erickson is an eight-stage concept that describes how a person develops and changes throughout life. This is a set of views that explain the nature of the formation of the individual from the moment of his conception and up to old age. It has influenced understanding of how children develop in childhood and later in life.

As each person advances in the social environment, from infancy to death, he encounters various problems that can be overcome or can lead to difficulties. Although each stage builds on the experience of earlier stages, Erickson did not believe that mastering each period was necessary in order to move on to the next. Like other theorists of similar ideas, the scientist believed that these steps occurred in a predetermined order. This action became known as the epigenetic principle.

Similar principles

Erickson's epigenetic theory shares some similarities with Freud's work on the psychosexual stage, but with some key differences. His teacher focused on the influence of the Id (It). Freud believed that the personality was largely formed by the time the child was five years old, while the personality of Erickson covers the entire duration of life.

Another important difference is that while Freud emphasized the importance of childhood experiences and unconscious desires, his follower paid more attention to the role of social and cultural influences.

Analysis of parts of the theory

There are three key components of Erickson's epigenetic theory:

1. Ego identity. An ever-changing sense of self that emerges through social interactions and experiences.
2. The power of the ego. It develops when people successfully cope with each stage of development.
3. Conflict. At each stage of formation, people face some type of disagreement, which serves as a turning point in the process of progressive advancement.

Stage 1: Trust vs. Distrust

The world is safe and predictable, dangerous and chaotic. Erickson's epigenetic theory states that the first stage of psychosocial development focused on answering these important questions.

The infant enters the world completely helpless and dependent on caregivers. Erickson believed that during these first two critical years of life, it is important that the baby learns that parents (guardians) can be trusted to meet all needs. When a child is cared for and his or her needs are properly met, he or she develops a sense that the world can be trusted.

What happens if a toddler is neglected or his or her needs are not met with any real consistency. In such a scenario, he may develop a sense of distrust of the world. It can feel like an unpredictable place, and the people who are supposed to love and care for a child cannot be reliable.

Some important things to remember about the stage of trust and distrust:

1. If this stage is completed successfully, the child will appear with the virtue of hope.
2. Even when problems arise, a person with this quality will feel that they can turn to loved ones for support and care.
3. Those who fail to acquire this virtue will experience fear. When a crisis occurs, they may feel hopeless, anxious, and insecure.

Stage 2: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

According to following statement in the epigenetic theory of E. Erickson, as babies enter their childhood years, they become more and more independent. They not only begin to walk independently, but also master the processes of performing a number of actions. Children often want to make more choices about things that affect their lives, like certain foods and clothes.

These activities not only play an important role in becoming a more independent person, they also help determine whether individuals develop a sense of autonomy or doubts about their abilities. Those who successfully go through this stage of psychosocial development will show willpower or a sense that they can take meaningful actions that will affect what happens to them.

Children who develop this autonomy will feel confident and comfortable within themselves. Caregivers can help toddlers succeed at this stage by encouraging choice, allowing them to make decisions, and supporting this increased independence.

What actions can lead to failure at this stage is an interesting question. Parents who are too critical, who do not allow their children to make choices, or who are too controlling can contribute to shame and doubt. Individuals tend to emerge from this stage without self-esteem and self-confidence, and may become overly dependent on others.

Some important things to remember about the stages of autonomy and shame and doubt:

1. This period helps set the course for further development.
2. Children who do well at this time of growing up will have a greater sense of their own independence.
3. Those who fight hard may feel ashamed of their diligence and ability.

Stage 3: initiative versus guilt

The third stage of the epigenetic theory of E. Erickson is associated with the development of a sense of initiative in children. From this point on, peers become more important as little personalities begin to interact more with them in their neighborhood or in the classroom. Children begin to pretend to play games and socialize more, often inventing fun and planning activities with others like themselves.

At this stage of Erickson's epigenetic theory of development, it is important for the individual to make judgments and plan his actions. Children also begin to assert more power and control over the world around them. During this period, parents and guardians should encourage them to explore as well as make appropriate decisions.

Important points about initiative versus guilt:

1. Children who successfully navigate this stage take the initiative, while those who do not may feel guilty.
2. The virtue at the center of this step is purpose, or the feeling that they have control and power over certain things in the world.

Stage 4: Environment vs Inferiority

During the school years to adolescence, children enter a psychosocial stage that Erickson, in epigenetic developmental theory, calls "environment versus inferiority." During this time, they focus on developing a sense of competence. Not surprisingly, the school plays an important role at this stage of development.

As they grow up, children acquire the ability to decide more and more challenging tasks. They are also interested in becoming skillful and proficient in various things, and tend to learn new skills and solve problems. Ideally, children will receive support and praise for doing various activities such as drawing, reading, and writing. With this positive attention and reinforcement, rising individuals begin to build the self-confidence needed to succeed.

So what happens if children do not receive praise and attention from others for learning something new is an obvious question. Erickson, in epigenetic personality theory, believed that the inability to master this stage of development would eventually lead to feelings of inferiority and insecurity in own forces. The core virtue that results from the successful completion of this psychosocial stage is known as competence.

Fundamentals of psychosocial development depending on the industry:

1. Support and encouragement helps children learn new skills while gaining a sense of competence.
2. Children who struggle during this stage may develop self-confidence issues as they get older.

Stage 5: Identity and Role Confusion

Anyone with a clear memory of the turbulent teenage years can probably immediately understand the stage of Erickson's epigenetic theory of personality versus role and current events. At this stage, teenagers begin to explore the basic question: "Who am I?". They are focused on exploring the sense of self, figuring out what they believe in, who they are and who they want to become.

In the epigenetic theory of development, Erickson expressed his view that the formation of personal identity is one of the most important stages of life. Progress in sense of self serves as a kind of compass that helps guide each person throughout his or her life. What does it take to develop a good personality is a question that worries many. It takes the ability to explore, which needs to be nurtured with support and love. Children often go through different phases and explore different ways of expressing themselves.

Important in the stage of identity and confusion:

1. Those who are allowed to go through this personal exploration and successfully master this stage emerge with a strong sense of independence, personal involvement, and a sense of self.
2. Those who fail to complete this stage of development often enter adulthood confused about who they really are and what they want from themselves.

The primary virtue that emerges after the successful completion of this stage is known as loyalty.

Stage 6: intimacy versus isolation

Love and romance are among the main concerns of many young people, so it is not surprising that the sixth stage of E. Erickson's epigenetic theory of personality focuses on this topic. This period begins at about 18 and 19 years of age and continues until the age of 40. The central theme of this stage focuses on the formation of loving, lasting and supportive relationships with other people. Erickson believed that the sense of self-reliance, which is established during the stage of identity and role confusion, is vital in the ability to establish strong and loving relationships.

Success during this period of development leads to strong bonds with others, while failure can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness.

The main virtue at this stage in E. Erickson's epigenetic theory of personality is love.

Stage 7: performance vs. stagnation

Later years adulthood marked by the need to create something that will continue after the death of a person. In fact, people begin to feel the need to leave some kind of lasting mark on the world. This may include raising children, caring for others, or making some kind of positive impact on society. Career, family, church groups, social organizations, and other things can contribute to a sense of accomplishment and pride.

Important points to remember about the epigenetic focus of Erickson's theory:

1. Those who master this stage of development present themselves with the feeling that they have made a significant and valuable impact on the world around them and develop the basic virtue that Erickson called care.
2. People who do not do this task effectively may feel left out, unproductive, and even cut off from the world.

Stage 8: honesty vs. desperation

The final stage of E. Erickson's epigenetic theory of personality development can be briefly described in several key points. It lasts from about 65 years to the end of a person's life. This may be his last stage, but still an important one. It is at this time that people begin to reflect on how they went through their life path, most of them ask themselves: “Have I lived a good life?” Individuals who remember important events with pride and dignity will feel satisfied, while those who look back with regret will experience bitterness or even despair.

Highlights in the psychosocial developmental stage in the spirit of wholeness and desperation:

1. People who have successfully passed the last stage of life show themselves with a sense of wisdom and understand that they have lived a worthy and meaningful life, even though they have to face death.
2. Those who have wasted years and they are meaningless will experience sadness, anger and regret.

Value Description

Erickson's psychosocial theory is widely and highly regarded. As with any concept, it has its critics, but in general it is considered fundamentally significant. Erickson was a psychoanalyst as well as a humanist. Thus, his theory is useful far beyond psychoanalysis - it is essential to any study related to personal awareness and development - of oneself or others.

If we consider Erickson's epigenetic theory of personality development briefly, we can find a noticeable, but not significant, Freudian element. Admirers of Freud will find this influence useful. People who disagree with him, and especially with his psychosexual theory, may ignore the Freudian aspect and still find Erickson's ideas to be the best. His set of views stands apart and does not depend on the concepts of his teacher and is valued for reliability and relevance.

In addition to Freudian psychoanalysis, Erickson developed his own theory mainly from his extensive practical fieldwork, first with Native American communities and later also from his clinical therapy work associated with leading psychiatric centers and universities. He actively and scrupulously pursued his work from the late 1940s to the 1990s.

Development of guidelines

If we consider briefly the epigenetic theory of development of E. Erickson, we can distinguish key points that influenced the further development of this doctrine. The concept strongly incorporated cultural and social aspects into Freud's biological and sexually oriented idea.

Erickson was able to do this because of his strong interest in and compassion for people, especially the young, and because his research was carried out in societies far removed from the more enigmatic world of the psychoanalyst's couch, which was essentially Freud's approach.

This helps Erickson's eight-stage concept to become an extremely powerful model. It is very accessible and obviously relevant to modern life from several points of view, to understand and explain how personality and behavior develop in people. Thus, Erickson's principles are of great importance in learning, raising children, self-awareness, managing and resolving conflicts, and in general, for understanding oneself and others.

Foundations for the emergence of a future model

Both Erickson and his wife Joan, who collaborated as psychoanalysts and writers, were passionately interested in childhood development and its impact on adult society. His work is as relevant as when he first laid out his original theory, in fact, considering contemporary pressures on society, family, relationships, and the pursuit of personal growth and fulfillment. His ideas are probably more relevant than ever.

Studying briefly E. Erickson's epigenetic theory, one can note the scientist's statements that people experience eight stages of a psychosocial crisis, which significantly affect the development and personality of each person. Joan Erickson described the ninth stage after Eric's death, but the eight-stage model is most often referred to and regarded as the standard. (Joan Erickson's work on the "ninth stage" appears in her 1996 revision of The Completed Life Cycle: An Overview.). Her work is not considered canonical in the study of problems with the development of a person and his personality.

The emergence of the term

Erik Erikson's epigenetic theory refers to a "psychosocial crisis" (or psychosocial crises, which are plural). The term is a continuation of Sigmund Freud's use of the word "crisis", which represents an internal emotional conflict. One can describe this kind of disagreement as an internal struggle or challenge that a person must come to terms with and deal with in order to grow and develop.

Erickson's "psychosocial" term comes from two original words, namely "psychological" (or the root, "psycho", referring to the mind, brain, personality.) and "social" (external relations and environment). Occasionally one can see the concept extended to the biopsychosocial, in which "bio" refers to life as biological.

Creating Stages

Considering briefly Erickson's epigenetic theory, one can determine the transformation of the structure of his scientific work for personality assessment. Successfully moving through each crisis involves achieving a healthy relationship or balance between two opposing dispositions.

For example, a healthy approach in the first stage of formation (trust versus distrust) can be characterized as experiencing and growing through the crisis of "Trust" (of people, life and future development), as well as the passage and development of the appropriate ability for "Distrust", where appropriate, to not be hopelessly unrealistic or gullible.

Or to experience and grow in the second stage (autonomy versus shame and doubt) to be essentially "Autonomous" (to be one's own person, not a mindless or awe-inspiring follower), but have enough capacity for "Shame and Doubt" to gain free-thinking and independence, as well as ethics, attentiveness and responsibility.

Erickson called these successful balanced results "Core Virtues" or "Core Benefits". He identified one particular word that represents their power acquired at each stage, which is commonly found in psychoanalyst diagrams and written theory, as well as other explanations of his work.

Erickson also identified a second supporting word for each stage, "strength," which, along with the core virtue, emphasized the healthy outcome of each stage and helped convey a simple meaning in summaries and diagrams. Examples of core virtues and supporting strong words are "Hope and aspiration" (from the first stage, trust versus distrust) and "Willpower and self-control" (from the second stage, autonomy versus shame and doubt).

The scientist used the word "achievement" in the context of successful results, because it meant getting something clear and permanent. Psychosocial development is not complete and irreversible: any previous crisis can effectively return to anyone, albeit in a different guise, with successful or unsuccessful results. Perhaps this helps to explain how the successful can fall from grace and how the hopeless losers can end up achieving great things. No one should be complacent and there is hope for all.

System development

Later in his life, the scientist sought to warn against interpreting his work in terms of an "achievement scale", in which the stages of a crisis represent the only safe achievement or the goal of an extreme "positive" option, provided once and for all. This would exclude a number possible errors with personality assessment.

E. Erickson in the epigenetic theory with age periods noted that at no stage can a good be achieved that is impenetrable to new conflicts, and that it is dangerous and inappropriate to believe in it.

The stages of a crisis are not well-defined steps. Elements tend to overlap and blend from one stage to the next and to the previous ones. This is a broad framework and concept, not mathematical formula, which faithfully reproduces all people and situations.

Erickson, in the epigenetic theory of personality development, sought to point out that the transition between stages overlapped. Crisis periods connect to each other like intertwined fingers, not like a row of neatly stacked boxes. People don't wake up suddenly one morning and enter a new life stage. Change does not occur in regulated, clear steps. They are graded, blended and organic. In this respect, the feel of the model is similar to other flexible frames. human development(eg Elisabeth Kübler-Ross' Cycle of Grief and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs).

When a person unsuccessfully passes through the stage of psychosocial crisis, he develops a tendency towards one or another of the opposing forces (either syntonic or dystonic, in the language of Erickson), which then becomes a behavioral tendency or even a mental problem. Roughly speaking, you can call it the "baggage" of knowledge.

Erickson emphasized the importance of both "reciprocity" and "generating" in his theory. The conditions are linked. Reciprocity reflects the influence of generations on each other, especially in families between parents, children and grandchildren. Each potentially influences the experience of others as they go through various stages of crisis. Generativity, actually named location within one of the crisis stages (generativity vs. stagnation, stage seven), reflects a significant relationship between adults and best interests personalities - their own children and in some way everyone else, and even the next generation.

Pedigree and family influence

Erickson's epigenetic theory with age periods notes that generations influence each other. It is obvious that the parent shapes the psychosocial development of the child by his example, but, in turn, his personal growth depends on the experience of communicating with the child and the pressure created. The same can be said for grandparents. Again, this helps explain why, as parents (or teachers, or siblings, or grandparents), people go out of their way to deal well with a young person in order to resolve their emotional issues.

The psychosocial stages of Erickson's epigenetic theory clearly demarcate the onset of new periods. However, depending on the individual, their period may vary. In a sense, development really peaks at stage seven, as stage eight is more about appreciation and how one has used life. The prospect of giving and making positive change for future generations resonates with the scientist's humanitarian philosophy, and it is this, perhaps more than anything else, that has allowed him to develop such a powerful concept.

Summarizing

The epigenetic theory of personality development by E. Erickson marked a significant difference from many earlier ideas in that it was focused on the phased development that accompanies a person throughout his life. Many psychologists today prefer concepts that are less focused on a set of predetermined steps and recognize that individual differences and experiences often mean that development can differ markedly from one person to another.

Some criticism of Erickson's theory is that it says little about the root causes of each formative crisis. He also tends to be somewhat vague about the distinctions between events, which mark the difference between success and failure at each stage. In addition, there is no objective way in the theory to determine whether a person has passed a particular stage of development.

E. Erickson's theory arose from the practice of psychoanalysis. However, unlike the theory of 3. Freud, his model of development is psychosocial, not psychosexual. Thus, the impact of culture and society on development was emphasized, and not the influence of the pleasure received from stimulation. erogenous zones. According to him, the foundations of the human self are rooted in social organization society.

E. Erickson was the first to use the psychohistorical method (the application of psychoanalysis to history), which required him to pay equal attention both to the psychology of the individual and to the nature of the society in which a person lives.

According to E. Erickson, each stage of development corresponds to its own expectations inherent in a given society, which an individual may or may not justify, and then he is either included in society or rejected by it. These considerations of E. Erickson formed the basis of the two most important concepts of his concept - "group identity" and "ego identity". Group identity is formed due to the fact that from the first day of life, the upbringing of a child is focused on including him in a given social group - on developing a worldview inherent in this group. Egoidentity is formed in parallel with group identity and creates in the subject a sense of stability and continuity of his Self, despite the changes that occur to a person in the process of his growth and development.

The formation of ego identity or, in other words, the integrity of the individual, continues throughout a person's life and goes through a number of stages. For each stage life cycle characterized by a specific task that is put forward by society. Society also determines the content of development at different stages of the life cycle. However, the solution of the problem, according to E. Erickson, depends both on the level of psychomotor development already achieved by the individual, and on the general spiritual atmosphere of the society in which this individual lives.

The task of infancy is the formation of basic trust in the world, overcoming feelings of disunity and alienation. The task of an early age is the struggle against a sense of shame and strong doubts in one's actions for one's own independence and self-sufficiency. A task playing age- developing an active initiative and at the same time experiencing feelings of guilt and moral responsibility for your desires. During the period of study at school, a new task arises - the formation of industriousness and the ability to handle tools, which is opposed by the awareness of one's own ineptitude and uselessness. In adolescence and early adolescence, the task of the first integral awareness of oneself and one's place in the world appears; the negative pole in solving this problem is the lack of confidence in understanding one's own self ("diffusion of identity"). The task of the end of youth and the beginning of maturity is the search for a life partner and the establishment of close friendships that overcome the feeling of loneliness. The task of the mature period is the struggle of the creative forces of man against inertia and stagnation. The period of old age is characterized by the formation of the final integral idea of ​​oneself, one's life path, as opposed to possible disappointment in life and growing despair.

The solution of each of these problems, according to E. Erickson, is reduced to the establishment of a certain dynamic relationship between the two extreme poles. The development of personality is the result of the struggle of these extreme possibilities, which does not subside during the transition to the next stage of development. This struggle at a new stage of development is suppressed by the solution of a new, more urgent task, but incompleteness makes itself felt during periods of life's failures. The balance achieved at each stage marks the acquisition new form ego identity and opens up the possibility of including the subject in a wider social environment. When raising a child, one should not forget that "negative" feelings always exist and serve as dynamic countermembers of "positive" feelings throughout life.

The transition from one form of ego identity to another causes identity crises. Crises, according to E. Erickson, are not a personality disease, not a manifestation of a neurotic disorder, but "turning points", "moments of choice between progress and regression, integration and delay."

E. Erickson's book "Childhood and Society" presents his model of "eight human ages". According to Erickson, all people in their development go through eight crises, or conflicts. Psychosocial adaptation, achieved by a person at each stage of development, at a later age can change its character, sometimes radically. For example, children who were deprived of love and warmth in infancy may become normal adults if additional attention was given to them in later stages. However, the nature of psychosocial adaptation to conflict plays an important role in the development specific person. The resolution of these conflicts is cumulative, and how a person adjusts to life at each stage of development influences how they deal with the next conflict.

According to Erickson's theory, specific developmental conflicts become critical only at certain points in the life cycle. At each of the eight stages of personality development, one of the developmental tasks, or one of these conflicts, becomes more important than others. However, despite the fact that each of the conflicts is critical only at one of the stages, it is present throughout life. For example, the need for autonomy is especially important for children aged 1 to 3 years, but throughout life people must constantly check the degree of their independence, which they can show each time they enter into new relationships with other people. The stages of development given below are represented by their poles. In fact, no one becomes absolutely trusting or distrustful: in fact, people vary in the degree of trust or distrust throughout their lives.

As a result of the struggle of positive and negative tendencies in solving the main problems during epigenesis, the main “virtues of the personality” are formed - the central neoplasms of age. Since positive qualities are opposed to negative ones, the virtues of a person have two poles - positive (in the case of solving the main social problem of age) and negative (in case this problem is not solved).

So, basic faith against basic distrust gives rise to HOPE - DISTANCE; autonomy versus shame and doubt: WILL - IMPULSE; initiative versus guilt: PURPOSE - APATHY; hard work against feelings of inferiority: COMPETENCE - INERTIA; identity vs. identity diffusion: LOYALTY - RENANT; intimacy versus loneliness: LOVE IS CLOSED; generation versus self-absorption: CARE - REJECTION; egointegration versus loss of interest in life: WISDOM IS CONSPIRECT.

Stages of the life cycle and their characteristics, given by E. Erickson, presented in Table. 3 (the table is given according to ).

1. Trust or distrust. The formation of this first form of ego-identity, like all subsequent forms, is accompanied by a developmental crisis. His indicators at the end of the first year of life: general tension due to teething, increased awareness of himself as a separate individual, weakening of the mother-child dyad as a result of the mother's return to professional pursuits and personal interests. This crisis is more easily overcome if, by the end of the first year of life, the ratio between the child's basic trust in the world and the basic distrust is in favor of the first.

2. Autonomy or shame and doubt. Starting to walk, children discover the possibilities of their body and ways to control it. They learn to eat and dress, use the toilet and learn new ways to get around. When a child manages to do something on his own, he gains a sense of self-control and self-confidence. But if a child constantly fails and is punished for it or called sloppy, dirty, incapable, bad, he gets used to feeling shame and self-doubt.

3. Initiative or guilt. Children aged 4-5 take their exploratory activity outside of their own bodies. They learn how the world works and how you can influence it. The world for them consists of both real and imaginary people and things. If their research activities are generally effective, they learn to deal with people and things in a constructive way and gain a strong sense of initiative. However, if they are severely criticized or punished, they get used to feeling guilty for many of their actions.

4. Industriousness or feeling of inferiority. Between the ages of 6 and 11, children develop numerous skills and abilities at school, at home and among their peers. According to Erickson's theory, the sense of self is significantly enriched with a realistic increase in the child's competence in various fields. It is becoming increasingly important to compare yourself with your peers. During this period, negative evaluation of oneself in comparison with others causes especially strong harm.

5. Identity or confusion of roles. Before adolescence children learn whole line different roles - a student or a friend, an older brother or sister, a student of a sports or music school etc. In adolescence and adolescence, it is important to understand these different roles and integrate them into one holistic identity. Boys and girls are looking for basic values ​​and attitudes that cover all these roles. If they fail to integrate a core identity or resolve a major conflict between two important roles with opposing value systems, the result is what Erickson calls identity diffusion.

The fifth stage in personality development is characterized by the deepest life crisis. Childhood is coming to an end. The completion of this major stage of the life path is characterized by the formation of the first integral form of ego-identity. Three lines of development lead to this crisis: rapid physical growth and puberty (the "physiological revolution"); preoccupation with “how I look in the eyes of others”, “what I am”; the need to find one's professional vocation that meets the acquired skills, individual abilities and the requirements of society. In the adolescent identity crisis, all past critical moments of development reappear. The teenager must now solve all the old problems consciously and with an inner conviction that it is this choice that is significant for him and for society. Then social trust in the world, independence, initiative, mastered skills will create a new integrity of the individual.

6. Closeness or isolation. In late adolescence and early adulthood, the central conflict of development is the conflict between intimacy and isolation. In Erickson's description, intimacy includes more than sexual intimacy. It is the ability to give a part of yourself to another person of any gender without fear of losing your own identity. Success in establishing this kind of close relationship depends on how the five previous conflicts were resolved.

The interval between youth and adulthood, when a young person seeks (through trial and error) to find his place in society, E. Erickson called "mental moratorium". The severity of this crisis depends both on the degree of resolution of earlier crises (trust, independence, activity, etc.), and on the entire spiritual atmosphere of society. An unsurmounted crisis leads to a state of acute diffusion of identity, which forms the basis of a special pathology of adolescence. Identity pathology syndrome, according to E. Erickson: regression to the infantile level and the desire to delay the acquisition of adult status as long as possible; a vague but persistent state of anxiety; feelings of isolation and emptiness; constantly being in a state of something that can change life; fear of personal communication and inability to emotionally influence persons of the opposite sex; hostility and contempt for all recognized social roles.

7. Generativity or stagnation. In adulthood, after previous conflicts are partially resolved, men and women can pay more attention and help other people. Parents sometimes find themselves helping their children. Some people can direct their energies toward solving social problems without conflict. But failure to resolve previous conflicts often leads to excessive self-absorption: excessive concern for one's health, the desire to satisfy one's psychological needs without fail, to preserve one's peace, etc. .

8. Ego integrity or despair. In the last stages of life, people usually review the life they have lived and evaluate it in a new way. If a person, looking back at his life, is satisfied because it was filled with meaning and active participation in events, then he comes to the conclusion that he did not live in vain and fully realized what was allotted to him by fate. Then he accepts his life as a whole, as it is. But if life seems to him a waste of energy and a series of missed opportunities, he has a feeling of despair. Obviously, this or that resolution of this last conflict in a person's life depends on the cumulative experience gained in the course of resolving all previous conflicts.

The concept of E. Erickson is called the epigenetic concept of the life path of the individual. As is known, the epigenetic principle is used in the study of embryonic development. According to this principle, everything that grows has a common plan. Based on this general plan, separate parts develop. Moreover, each of them has the most favorable period for predominant development. This happens until all the parts, having developed, form a functional whole. Epigenetic concepts in biology emphasize the role external factors in the emergence of new forms and structures and thereby oppose preformist teachings. From the point of view of E. Erickson, the sequence of stages is the result of biological maturation, but the content of development is determined by what the society to which he belongs expects from a person. According to E. Erickson, any person can go through all these stages, no matter what culture he belongs to, it all depends on how long his life is.

The significance of E. Erickson's concept lies in the fact that he was the first to characterize the stages of the entire life cycle and introduced late ages into the area of ​​interest developmental psychology. He created a psychoanalytic concept about the relationship between the Self and society and formulated a number of concepts of “group identity”, “ego-identity”, “mental moratorium” that are important for practical psychology.

Let us consider the point of view of E. Erickson on the development of the psyche in the course of ontogeny.

E. Erickson distinguishes eight stages. We will study them in detail and summarize them with the help of figures 1, 2 and 3.

Fundamentals of the theory of E. Erickson

The theory of E. Erickson is developed by their psychoanalysis, however, unlike the theory of Z. Freud, it is psychosocial, which is intended to emphasize the influence of society and culture on the child's psyche.

When developing the theory, E. Erickson used the psychohistorical method.

At each stage of age development, from the point of view of E. Erickson, an individual can both be included in society and rejected by it, depending on whether he fulfills the requirements of society.

Yes, there are important concepts of this theory - ego-identity and group identity.

Tasks of age stages

1. Infancy is the formation of trust in the world.
2. Early age - the struggle for their independence and self-sufficiency.
3. Before school age- development of initiative.
4. Primary school age - the formation and development of diligence.
5. Adolescence is self-awareness.
6. Adolescence is the establishment of friendships.
7. The mature period is the struggle against stagnation.
8. Old age is a holistic view of the life path.

Age periodization according to E. Erickson

1. Oral-sensory stage (0 - 1 year). "I trust, I don't trust."
2. Muscular-anal (1 - 3 years). "Can I control my behavior?"
3. Locomotor-genital (3 - 6 years). "Can I be independent from my parents?"
4. Latent (6 - 14 years). "Can I be so skilled as to survive and adapt to the world?"
5. Adolescence and youth (14 - 20 years). “Who am I?”, “What are my views, beliefs, positions?”. Egoidentity is a set of ideas about oneself, which makes it possible to feel one's uniqueness.
6. Youth, early adulthood (20-35 years). “Can I give myself completely to another person?”
7. Adulthood (35 - 60 years). “What can I offer other generations?”
8. Maturity (from 60 years). “Am I satisfied with my life?”