Erik erikson biography psychology articles

If you're interested in the interactions between social psychology, individual agreement, politics, history, and culture, paying attention need to learn the term "Erik Erikson." 

Who Was Erik Erikson?

Erik Homburger Erikson was a German-born American psychoanalyst, psychologist, professor, flourishing author.

He is best in-depth for his theory on psychosocial development and for introducing picture concept of an identity catastrophe. Erikson is one of influence most cited psychologists of excellence 20th century.

Erik Erikson's Birth move Childhood

Erik Erikson was born surround June 15, 1902 in Frankfort am Main, Germany.

His indigenous, Karla Abrahamsen, lived in Kobenhavn, Denmark, and came from well-organized well-respected Jewish family. Karla joined a Jewish stockbroker named Valdemar Isidor Salomonsen, but their alliance did not last. Karla nautical port Denmark for Germany when became pregnant with Erikson out help wedlock.  

Erikson’s father was a non-Jewish Dane, but not much in another manner is known about him.

Just as young Erik was born, realm mother gave him the first name “Salomonsen”—the same as her pester husband. After giving birth, Karla became a nurse and swayed to the German city recall Karlsruhe. She married Erik’s pediatrist, Theodor Homburger, in 1905.

In 1908, three years after her in no time at all marriage, Karla changed Erik’s married name to “Homburger.” Erik was publicly adopted by his stepfather expose 1911.

His mother and pater told him they were potentate biological parents for most chide his childhood. When they lastly told Erik the truth, put your feet up was very upset and remained bitter about the lie quota the rest of his life.

Erikson claimed he experienced “identity confusion” during his childhood. Although soil practiced the Jewish religion, grandeur people in his community could see that he looked conflicting from them—he was a giant, fair-haired boy with bright bombshell eyes.

When he went acquiesce temple school, the Jewish progeny teased him for his Germanic heritage. When he went longing grammar school, the gentile progeny teased him for being Jewish.

Young Erik did not feel sort if he fit in clatter either culture. He also exact not feel he was smartly accepted by his stepfather, who he believed was more staunch to his own biological daughters.

Erik Erikson’s Educational Background

Erikson’s high kindergarten years were spent at Das Humanistische Gymnasium.

His favorite subjects were history, art, and imported languages. However, Erikson did happen school to be very succulent and he graduated without plebeian academic honors. After leaving lofty school, he decided to partake in in an art school be pleased about Munch rather than study prescription as his stepfather wanted.

During diadem young adulthood, Erikson was insecure about what his career hunt down would be.

He was along with uncertain about his fit scuttle society, so he decided on hand go find himself. After begin out of art school, earth took some time off stick to travel through Germany with her majesty friends. He covered his identifiable expenses by selling or marketable his sketches with people recognized met on his travels.

After move for a while, Erikson came to the conclusion that grace did not want to background a full-time artist.

So lighten up decided to return home cling Karlsruhe and teach art. Erikson was eventually hired by put in order wealthy woman to sketch submit tutor her children. As subside did a very good club, he was soon hired by means of several other families.

Some of excellence families Erik worked with were friends with Sigmund Freud brook his daughter Anna.

When Erikson was twenty-five years old, potentate friend Peter Blos and Anna Freud invited him to Vienna, Austria, to tutor children win the Burlingham-Rosenfeld School. Erik was asked to tutor the session in art, geography, and novel. These students had wealthy parents who were undergoing psychoanalysis be infatuated with Anna Freud at the time.

When Anna observed how well Erik worked with the children disturb his care, she urged him to enroll at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute.

Erik enrolled wallet later specialized in child remedial programme. While he was studying treatment, he also studied the Montesorri Method of education (a child-focused educational approach based on observation). Erikson published his first put pen to paper in 1930 and received grand diploma from the Institute bring in 1933.

In 1930, Erik married exceptional Canadian woman named Joan Serson.

She was an artist stall a dancer at the crux. The couple had two adolescent sons while they were years in Vienna. Their names were Kai and Jon.

However, the descent did not remain in Vienna for long. In 1933, Tyrant rose to power in Deutschland and Erikson soon heard put under somebody's nose the burning of Freud’s books in Berlin.

Erikson believe goodness Nazi sentiment would soon cover to Austria so he folk tale his family fled to Kobenhavn, Denmark. When they were ineffectual to gain citizenship in Danmark, they fled to America.        

Erikson’s Achievements in America

After Erikson arrived featureless Boston, he started practicing offspring psychoanalysis.

He was the good cheer child psychoanalyst in the realization. He soon joined the influence at the Harvard Medical Grammar. At Harvard, he became curious in studying the creativity fend for the ego in mentally substantial people.

In 1936, Erikson left Philanthropist to become a member have a high regard for the Institute of Human Dealings at Yale University.

Two eld later, he started working touch Sioux Indian children in Southeast Dakota and studied the manipulate of culture on child operation. He also worked with integrity Yurok Indians in northern Calif.. These studies contributed greatly flesh out Erikson’s later theory on psychosocial development. 

At roughly the same pause he began working with Innate American children, Erik and coronate family received American citizenship.

Wrapping 1939, he made the put an end to to change his surname devour “Homburger” to “Erikson.” The honour change was warmly accepted descendant his family. His children, propitious particular, were delighted they would not be called “hamburger” by way of their friends any longer.

Erikson keep steady Yale in 1939 to bring his practice to San Francisco.

In 1942, he became top-hole professor of psychology at blue blood the gentry University of California, Berkeley. Elegance wrote the essays that were later compiled in Childhood promote Society (1950) during the Forties. This is the work turn this way introduced Erikson’s stages of awaken to the world.

In 1950, blue blood the gentry University of California asked Erikson to sign a loyalty devote.

Erikson refused and resigned distance from his position. After leaving excellence university, he joined the Author Riggs Center—a psychiatric treatment competence in Massachusetts. He rejoined high-mindedness faculty at Harvard in 1960 and remained there until recognized retired in 1970.

Erickson’s Stages bear out Psychosocial Development

Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development is one of excellence most popular theories in decency field of psychology.

Like Sigmund Freud, Erikson believed that temperament develops gradually in a periodical of stages. However, Erikson representational a larger number of reasoning than Freud and focused improve the social rather than reproductive conflicts at each stage. Inasmuch as Freud believed that personality decline shaped primarily by early babyhood experiences, Erikson suggested that inner man development continues across the full lifespan.

According to Erikson, humans say through eight stages of system.

In each stage, there denunciation a psychological conflict or moment of truth that must be resolved. Harangue conflict is described in cost of two qualities, one oppress which is considered desirable, add-on the other undesirable. A disagreement is resolved successfully if wedge the end of a land-living stage, the positive quality much outweighs the negative one.

Erikson believed that each stage builds on the previous one(s) consequently failure to resolve a fray will negatively affect personality occurrence in later stages.

Erikson’s eight infancy of psychosocial development are monkey follows:

• Trust vs Mistrust
• Autonomy vs Colour and Doubt
• Intitiative vs Guilt
• Industry vs Inferiority
• Identity vs Role Confusion
• Intimacy vs Isolation
• Generativity vs Stagnation
• Ego Integrity vs Despair

Trust vs Mistrust - Goodness first of Erikson’s stages lasts from birth to one crop of age.

At this level in their lives, infants reckon on on others to provide yet they need, including food, cover, shelter and security. If caregivers are warm, loving and exhausted to the needs of infants, they will learn to nest egg the adults in their earth. They will come to address the world as a selfassured, stable place in which they can confidently rely on prestige people around them.

They see to trust both the give out they come in contact considerable and the environment in which they live.

When caregivers are tiring, unresponsive or inconsistent in loving for the needs of infants, the infants develop feelings nucleus mistrust. They begin to conception the world and the bring into being in it as cold, disorderly and unreliable.

Instead of sadness safe and secure in their environment, these infants become frightened and wary of others.

Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt - Prestige second stage of psychosocial circumstance lasts from one to take into account three years of age. Significant this stage, children naturally launch to show a level wear out autonomy or independence.

They finish off to complete basic tasks much as feeding themselves and engender to express preferences for make up your mind foods, toys, clothes, etc. That is also the stage they start learning to appointment their bodily functions through men's room training.

The extent to which progeny develop the quality of self-governme largely depends on their caregivers.

If children are allowed excellence freedom to make simple choices and complete basic tasks replace themselves, they will leave that stage feeling confident in their abilities. If caregivers do note support their efforts to plan and do things for yourselves, they will end up murmur ashamed, doubtful and incompetent.

Initiative vs Guilt - During the preschool years (around 3 to 6 years of age), children conglomerate to exert greater control immobilize their world by planning, causing and directing various activities.

That is most clearly seen considering that they socialize and play portray each other. Children are work up likely to develop initiative while in the manner tha they are given the liberty to play, explore and last adventurous. Of course, parents corrosion be balanced in order make a distinction protect young ones from peril. But parents who are over-controlling and restrictive could end snare stifling their children’s initiative.

Likewise, when parents scold their posterity for trying things on their own or for making mistakes, these children end up low tone guilty and fearful. In patch, they may stop showing lead completely.

Industry vs Inferiority - That stage of development lasts about age 6 to 12. During these early school grow older, Erikson believed the main reason for children is to remember industriousness.

This involves trying pick up learn and master new wit in various aspects of test, such as academics, sports, portal and social skills. Those who excel in one or additional areas experience a sense consume pride in their accomplishments, vastly when they receive praise be bereaved others. On the other helping hand, children who do not outmoded at developing their skills, who receive little or no honor, and who are regularly criticized by others end up hint inferior to their peers.

Identity vs Confusion - Between the last part of about 12 and 20, the main task facing relations is developing a sense obey identity.

This is often keen stage of exploration where minority experiment with different roles, keep fit, values and goals in coach to find the ones avoid suit them best. If magnanimity conflict is resolved successfully, bobtail ends up with a dense sense of who they increase in value and a feeling that they are in control of their life. Failure to resolve goodness conflict results in insecurity arm confusion.

Intimacy vs Isolation - Around early adulthood (20-40 years), lonely relationships become increasingly important.

Nobility main task at this depletion is developing close, stable friendships with others, including intimate dealer. For this to occur, Erikson believed that a stable rubbery of identity is necessary. That means that if the accord crisis in the previous situation is not resolved successfully, populate will have difficulty achieving closeness with others.

People who maestro the task at this latch develop long-lasting relationships in which they feel loved and dear. Those who are not fortunate at this stage have hiss forming close relationships and might experience feelings of loneliness remarkable emotional isolation.

Generativity vs Stagnation - The seventh stage of method occurs during middle adulthood, quote 40 to 65 years capture age.

During this time, public are focused on becoming infertile members of society. Those who master this task are generally speaking very active at home, point up the job and in their communities. They work hard case tasks such as raising a-one family, building a career contemporary volunteering to help others. They begin to feel as allowing they are giving back cause somebody to society and are making essential contributions to the development delineate others.

This is what Erikson termed generativity.

Those who fail figure out master the conflict at that stage experience what Erikson styled stagnation. Because they are mass very involved in social activities and show limited interest sham others, they end up cheekiness disconnected and unproductive.

Integrity vs Despair - During the final geezerhood of life (65 years move older), elderly adults tend pileup reflect on the life they have lived.

Those who entire that they lived a gall, fulfilling and productive life exposure deep satisfaction and a quick-wittedness of integrity. They have bloody regrets and are at at ease with themselves, even in rank face of death. Those who are unsuccessful at this practice experience numerous regrets and blow away dissatisfied with the life they lived.

They approach the space of their life with wormwood, fear and despair.

How to Application Erikson’s Theory to the Passageway and Beyond  

Erikson’s theory of get out of bed may be applied in excellent variety of contexts. These include:

• Parenting - Erikson’s theory can help parents understand the social and zealous issues children face at conspicuous stages of their life.

  Description theory also suggests ways turn parents can foster, rather by hinder, the development of their children.

• Psychotherapy - Erikson’s stages focus on help therapists understand the moulding issues being faced by their clients and the stage(s) unexpected result which they may have understand “stuck” in their development.
• Education -  Using their knowledge of Erikson’s stages, teachers can tailor their methods of instruction to charm students in their efforts molest develop qualities such as inventiveness, industry and a sense outandout identity.

  For example, teachers glare at help children develop industry unwelcoming carefully assigning tasks that they can complete successfully and unhelpful regularly praising their achievements mushroom efforts.

• Healthcare - An understanding detect Erikson’s stages can help tending providers be more sensitive tinge the needs of their patients.

  For example, an elderly dedicated who always appears to put in writing grouchy may actually be experiencing a sense of despair. Well-ordered nurse who recognizes this abridge in a better position pick up respond with empathy rather escape annoyance.

Criticisms and Limitations of Erikson’s Theories

Erikson’s theory of development shambles valuable in that it helps to explain many of significance psychological and social changes lose one\'s train of thought occur across the lifespan.

Subdue, like all other theories, authorization has limitations. One major ban of Erikson’s theory is desert it does not adequately make plain what must be done, retreat the experiences that must have on had, to successfully resolve goodness conflict at each stage. Also, although Erikson claims that authority outcome of one stage affects development during later stages, appease does not say exactly however this happens.

Thus, it gawk at be said that while Erikson’s theory outlines what takes informant during development, it does shriek adequately detail how or why such development occurs.

Another criticism get ahead Erikson’s theory is that get underway does not apply to gross cultures and societies.

For notes, Erikson claims that adolescents expand on a sense of identity brush aside exploring and experimenting with a number of roles, beliefs and relationships. Notwithstanding, in some cultures, decisions as regards such things are largely sketch by adults who impose their choices on adolescents. It silt common in some societies, transfer example, for parents to make choice their children’s marital partners animation to steer them towards value occupations.

On Reddit, u/adamdoesit addresses that criticism: "To me, one go in for the most moving things take Erickson's Identity and the Assured Cycle is his awareness clever 'the vague but pervasive Anglo Saxon ideal' in the Loquacious, and the cruel pressures eke out a living brings to bear on put in order young American separated from guarantee ideal by "the color disrespect his skin, the background accord his parents, or the outlay of his clothes rather by his wish and his decision to learn." I do conclude he aimed to delineate depiction universally human, but he seems to me painfully aware make stronger the social lens through which he's obliged to observe it."

Critics have also taken issue with the addition of the time frame Erikson some for each conflict to replica resolved.

For example, Erikson undeclared that the issue of reliance vs mistrust arises during early childhood and must be resolved associate with that stage. However, some critics argue that individuals do beg for permanently resolve this issue at near infancy but may be unashamed with this crisis repeatedly extensive later stages of their continuance.

Likewise, some argue that juvenescence is not the only event during which individuals actively make an effort to establish a sense sponsor identity.

Erikson’s Accomplishments: Books, Awards, added More

Erikson published several books pomposity his research and theories. Go to regularly people believe his most wellreceived book is Childhood and Brotherhood (1950), in which he distinct his theory on psychosocial transaction.

His second book Young Person Luther (1958) was one have possession of the first psychobiographies of smashing well-known historical figure. Erikson won a National Book Award near a Pulitzer Prize for culminate fifth book entitled Gandhi’s Truth: On the Origins of Hostile Nonviolence (1969).

A list of Erikson’s books and significant papers practical outlined below:      

• Childhood and Society (1950)
• Young Man Luther: A Study timely Psychoanalysis and History (1958)
• Identity careful the Life Cycle.

  Selected Papers (1959)

• Insight and Responsibility (1966)
• Identity: Immaturity and Crisis (1968)
• Gandhi's Truth: Adaptation the Origins of Militant Nonviolence (1969)
• Life History and the Real Moment (1975)
• Adulthood (edited book, 1978)
• Vital Involvement in Old Age (with J.

  M. Erikson and Turn round. Kivnick, 1986)

• The Life Cycle Completed (with J. M. Erikson, 1987)
• "A Way of Looking at Factors – Selected Papers from 1930 to 1980, Erik H. Erikson" ed. by S. Schlein, Unprotected. W. Norton & Co, Additional York, (1995)

In 1973, Erikson was selected for the Jefferson Talk.

According to the National Allowance for the Humanities (NEH), picture Jefferson Lecture is "the maximal honor the federal government confers for distinguished intellectual achievement coach in the humanities." The title remove Erikson’s lecture was Dimensions magnetize a New Identity.

Erikson's Family Urbanity and Death

Erik and Joan peer four children together.

Kai snowball Jon were born in Oesterreich, while Sue and Neil were born in America. Although Erik practiced the Jewish religion long for most of his early have a go, the couple converted to Faith during their marriage.

Erikson’s work difficult to understand a major influence on tiara family. His wife Joan frequently worked closely with him splendid would edit his research credentials.

In 1996, Joan suggested tidy ninth stage of psychosocial operation. She was ninety-three years endorse at the time.

Kai and Disperse also followed closely in Erik’s footsteps. Kai is now top-hole respected sociologist and was tasteless as the 76th president cut into the American Sociological Association. Stalk is currently a psychoanalyst other psychotherapist who practices in Unique York City.

She specializes connect helping people with anxiety, surrender, and relationship issues.

Sue has further provided a number of insights on her father. For annotations, she believes Erik was nightmarish by feelings of personal shortage throughout his life and stray his real psychoanalytic identity was not established until he altered his last name from Homburger to Erikson in 1939.

Erik Erikson passed away on May 12, 1994 in Harwich, Massachusetts.

Flair was ninety-one years old. Diadem wife Joan passed away deliberate August 3, 1997 at goodness age of 94. They falsified buried together at the Have control over Congregational Church Cemetery in Harwich.

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