Human Development
Erikson, Gilligan and Levinson
Consciousness
By 1950’s new theories of
development focused on
the Self
rather than the unconscious
Carl Rogers
Abraham Maslow
Erik Erikson
Carol Gilligan
Erik Erikson
• Development:
• Life long
• 8 stages
• Inter-generational
• Embedded in relationships
• Developmental Challenges
• Strengths and weaknesses
• Development can be revisited
Q: What Develops?
A: Self and Identity
• Inherently social
• Societal implications
The Psychosocial Stages
Childhood
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Approx.
Stage
Crisis
Potential
Societal
Age (years)
new virtue
manifestation
0-1
Infancy
Basic trust versus mistrust
Hope
Religion/ faith
1-6
Early childhood
Autonomy versus shame and doubt
Will
Law and order
6-10
Play age
Initiative versus guilt
Purpose
Economics
10-14
School age
Industry versus inferiority
Competence
Technology
The Psychosocial Stages
Adolescence to Late Adulthood
_________________________________________________________________________________
Approx.
Stage
Crisis
Potential
Societal
Age (years)
new virtue
manifestation
14-20
Adolescence
Identity versus
Role Confusion
Fidelity
Ideology
20-35
Young
adulthood
Intimacy versus isolation
Love
Ethics
35-65
Maturity
Generativity versus stagnation
Care
Education
Art/Science
65+
Old age
Ego integrity versus
Despair and Disgust
Wisdom
Cultural
Institutions
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Stage 7
Middle Adulthood
Generativity vs Stagnation
6
• Generativity defined:
• Primarily the interest in establishing and guiding the next
generation (Sugarman, 2001)
• Adults desire to leave a legacy of themselves to the next
generation (Santrock,2006).
• There is an important connection to the next generation – this
introduces an intergenerational dimension to development.
• Care is the strength that develops through generativity.
Stagnation When generativity fails
• Stagnation, according to Erikson, represents the failure to
achieve generativity.
• Care is turned inwards as the person becomes selfcentered.
• The person themselves becomes their own child, their own
creation.
This leads to self-absorption.
How important is
parenting in guiding
the next
generation?
How important is
this emphasis on
the interdependence of
generations?
Carol Gilligan
• Development:
• Girls and Women
• Societies expectations
• Critique of Psychology
• Ethic of Care
• Embedded in relationships
• Self as Relational
• Self sacrifice
Q: What Develops?
A: Relational Self?
• Societal implications
• Development can be revisited
How have relationships
between men and women
changed?
Thinking about Erikson and ‘Identity versus Role
Confusion’ – is the world today more confusing
for young people?
Daniel Levinson
• Development:
• Life Structure Theory
• Alternating stages
• Stable periods
• Transitions
• Embedded in relationships
• Fantasy and dreams
• Integrating Polarities
Q: What Develops?
A: Life Structure – internal/ external
• Critique
The Life Structure
65+ (Late Adulthood)
60
Late Adult Transition
55 Culmination of
Middle Adulthood
50 Age 50 Transition
45 Entering middle
Adulthood
40 Mid Life Transition
17
33 Settling Down
28 Age 30 transition
22 Entering the
Adult World
Early Adult transition
(Childhood and
Adolescence)
(Sugarman, 2002)
Which do you think is
more important –
external life structure or
inner life?
Focus on transitions – do you think
this is well understood in our society?