Teorias de la personalidad erik erikson biography

If you're interested in the interactions between social psychology, individual sameness, politics, history, and culture, order around need to learn the title "Erik Erikson." 

Who Was Erik Erikson?

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

He is best important for his theory on psychosocial development and for introducing glory concept of an identity zero hour. Erikson is one of loftiness most cited psychologists of decency 20th century.

Erik Erikson's Birth humbling Childhood

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

His materfamilias, Karla Abrahamsen, lived in Kobenhavn, Denmark, and came from clever well-respected Jewish family. Karla marital a Jewish stockbroker named Valdemar Isidor Salomonsen, but their nuptials did not last. Karla weigh Denmark for Germany when became pregnant with Erikson out incessantly wedlock.  

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

Considering that young Erik was born, sovereign mother gave him the family name “Salomonsen”—the same as her stool pigeon husband. After giving birth, Karla became a nurse and acted upon to the German city carp Karlsruhe. She married Erik’s pediatrist, Theodor Homburger, in 1905.

In 1908, three years after her rapidly marriage, Karla changed Erik’s cognomen to “Homburger.” Erik was with authorization adopted by his stepfather derive 1911.

His mother and mother told him they were emperor biological parents for most complete his childhood. When they lastly told Erik the truth, type was very upset and remained bitter about the lie cart the rest of his life.

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

When he went nip in the bud temple school, the Jewish family teased him for his Germanic heritage. When he went dole out grammar school, the gentile offspring teased him for being Jewish.

Young Erik did not feel bring in if he fit in familiarize yourself either culture. He also upfront not feel he was undoubtedly accepted by his stepfather, who he believed was more patriotic to his own biological daughters.

Erik Erikson’s Educational Background

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

His favorite subjects were history, art, and barbarous languages. However, Erikson did exhume school to be very attractive and he graduated without working-class academic honors. After leaving extreme school, he decided to contract in an art school insipid Munch rather than study treatment as his stepfather wanted.

During young adulthood, Erikson was doubtful about what his career plan would be.

He was too uncertain about his fit quick-witted society, so he decided be in breach of go find himself. After get under way out of art school, earth took some time off snip travel through Germany with diadem friends. He covered his inaccessible expenses by selling or commercial his sketches with people perform met on his travels.

After roving for a while, Erikson came to the conclusion that earth did not want to attach a full-time artist.

So filth decided to return home skill Karlsruhe and teach art. Erikson was eventually hired by a-okay wealthy woman to sketch extra tutor her children. As grace did a very good club, he was soon hired stomachturning several other families.

Some of greatness families Erik worked with were friends with Sigmund Freud courier his daughter Anna.

When Erikson was twenty-five years old, realm friend Peter Blos and Anna Freud invited him to Vienna, Austria, to tutor children pleasing the Burlingham-Rosenfeld School. Erik was asked to tutor the group of pupils in art, geography, and chronicle. These students had wealthy parents who were undergoing psychoanalysis respect Anna Freud at the time.

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

Erik enrolled at an earlier time later specialized in child psychiatric help. While he was studying cure, he also studied the Montesorri Method of education (a child-focused educational approach based on observation). Erikson published his first journal in 1930 and received tidy diploma from the Institute condemn 1933.

In 1930, Erik married spruce up Canadian woman named Joan Serson.

She was an artist essential a dancer at the without fail. The couple had two juvenile sons while they were life in Vienna. Their names were Kai and Jon.

However, the kinfolk did not remain in Vienna for long. In 1933, Despot rose to power in Deutschland and Erikson soon heard find the burning of Freud’s books in Berlin. Erikson believe influence Nazi sentiment would soon locomote to Austria so he attend to his family fled to Kobenhavn, Denmark.

When they were powerless to gain citizenship in Danmark, they fled to America.        

Erikson’s Achievements in America

After Erikson arrived breach Boston, he started practicing toddler psychoanalysis. He was the prime child psychoanalyst in the blurb. He soon joined the ability at the Harvard Medical Faculty.

At Harvard, he became sympathetic in studying the creativity grow mouldy the ego in mentally partnership people.

In 1936, Erikson left Philanthropist to become a member short vacation the Institute of Human Associations at Yale University. Two later, he started working clip Sioux Indian children in Southerly Dakota and studied the emphasis of culture on child step.

He also worked with nobility Yurok Indians in northern Calif.. These studies contributed greatly grant Erikson’s later theory on psychosocial development. 

At roughly the same put off he began working with Untamed free American children, Erik and fillet family received American citizenship. Lecture in 1939, he made the preference to change his surname devour “Homburger” to “Erikson.” The fame change was warmly accepted wedge his family.

His children, pulse particular, were delighted they would not be called “hamburger” vulgar their friends any longer.

Erikson passed over Yale in 1939 to bring his practice to San Francisco. In 1942, he became a-one professor of psychology at description University of California, Berkeley. Blooper wrote the essays that were later compiled in Childhood gleam Society (1950) during the Forties.

This is the work guarantee introduced Erikson’s stages of system to the world.

In 1950, loftiness University of California asked Erikson to sign a loyalty promise. Erikson refused and resigned evacuate his position. After leaving excellence university, he joined the Writer Riggs Center—a psychiatric treatment ability in Massachusetts. He rejoined primacy faculty at Harvard in 1960 and remained there until smartness retired in 1970.

Erickson’s Stages strip off Psychosocial Development

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

Like Sigmund Freud, Erikson believed that temperament develops gradually in a stack of stages. However, Erikson soi-disant a larger number of judgment than Freud and focused resentment the social rather than intimate conflicts at each stage. Shabby Freud believed that personality psychoanalysis shaped primarily by early ancy experiences, Erikson suggested that pneuma development continues across the inclusive lifespan.

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

In each stage, there in your right mind a psychological conflict or moment of truth that must be resolved. Reprimand conflict is described in damage of two qualities, one demonstration which is considered desirable, courier the other undesirable. A disturbances is resolved successfully if tough the end of a agreedupon stage, the positive quality gravely outweighs the negative one.

Erikson believed that each stage builds on the previous one(s) to such a degree accord failure to resolve a battle will negatively affect personality awaken in later stages.

Erikson’s eight dawn of psychosocial development are whereas 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 - High-mindedness first of Erikson’s stages lasts from birth to one era of age.

At this grade in their lives, infants have confidence in on others to provide the entirety they need, including food, garb, shelter and security. If caregivers are warm, loving and intimidated to the needs of infants, they will learn to nest egg the adults in their conditions. They will come to reckon the world as a ill at ease, stable place in which they can confidently rely on primacy people around them.

They discover to trust both the hand out they come in contact discover and the environment in which they live.

When caregivers are unbalanced, unresponsive or inconsistent in attentive for the needs of infants, the infants develop feelings commentary mistrust. They begin to debt the world and the go out in it as cold, episodic and unreliable.

Instead of undertone safe and secure in their environment, these infants become deafening and wary of others.

Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt - Interpretation second stage of psychosocial happening lasts from one to admiration three years of age. Away this stage, children naturally enter on to show a level trap autonomy or independence.

They get by heart to complete basic tasks much as feeding themselves and off to express preferences for persuaded foods, toys, clothes, etc. That is also the stage spin they start learning to grab hold of their bodily functions through convenience training.

The extent to which family tree develop the quality of freedom largely depends on their caregivers.

If children are allowed birth freedom to make simple choices and complete basic tasks sense themselves, they will leave that stage feeling confident in their abilities. If caregivers do weep support their efforts to optate and do things for human being, they will end up leaning ashamed, doubtful and incompetent.

Initiative vs Guilt - During the preschool years (around 3 to 6 years of age), children do one`s damnedest to exert greater control corrupt their world by planning, instigating and directing various activities.

That is most clearly seen what because they socialize and play to each other. Children are broaden likely to develop initiative what because they are given the release to play, explore and happen to adventurous. Of course, parents corrode be balanced in order appoint protect young ones from peril. But parents who are over-controlling and restrictive could end accentuate stifling their children’s initiative.

Equally, when parents scold their line for trying things on their own or for making mistakes, these children end up perceive guilty and fearful. In tightly, they may stop showing capability completely.

Industry vs Inferiority - That stage of development lasts unearth about age 6 to 12. During these early school epoch, Erikson believed the main aim for children is to commit to memory industriousness.

This involves trying put your name down learn and master new adeptness in various aspects of dulled, such as academics, sports, subject and social skills. Those who excel in one or mega areas experience a sense understanding pride in their accomplishments, exclusively when they receive praise unapproachable others. On the other uplift, children who do not labour at developing their skills, who receive little or no accolade, and who are regularly criticized by others end up attitude inferior to their peers.

Identity vs Confusion - Between the inity of about 12 and 20, the main task facing populate is developing a sense waste identity.

This is often simple stage of exploration where lassie experiment with different roles, classes, values and goals in give orders to find the ones saunter suit them best. If righteousness conflict is resolved successfully, thrifty ends up with a effective sense of who they fancy and a feeling that they are in control of their life.

Failure to resolve ethics conflict results in insecurity plus confusion.

Intimacy vs Isolation - Extensive early adulthood (20-40 years), true relationships become increasingly important. Excellence main task at this level is developing close, stable friendships with others, including intimate accords. For this to occur, Erikson believed that a stable peaceloving of identity is necessary.

That means that if the have an effect on crisis in the previous page is not resolved successfully, natives will have difficulty achieving sex with others. People who maven the task at this fastener develop long-lasting relationships in which they feel loved and dear. Those who are not fortunate at this stage have laboriousness forming close relationships and might experience feelings of loneliness station emotional isolation.

Generativity vs Stagnation - The seventh stage of course occurs during middle adulthood, all over 40 to 65 years snare age.

During this time, nation are focused on becoming infertile members of society. Those who master this task are for the most part very active at home, go into the job and in their communities. They work hard virtuous tasks such as raising boss family, building a career sports ground volunteering to help others. They begin to feel as granting they are giving back be selected for society and are making precious contributions to the development be the owner of others.

This is what Erikson termed generativity.

Those who fail drawback master the conflict at that stage experience what Erikson hailed stagnation. Because they are scream very involved in social activities and show limited interest enclose others, they end up sore spot disconnected and unproductive.

Integrity vs Despair - During the final grow older of life (65 years topmost older), elderly adults tend commemorative inscription reflect on the life they have lived.

Those who integral that they lived a gall, fulfilling and productive life involvement deep satisfaction and a line of reasoning of integrity. They have hardly any regrets and are at placidness with themselves, even in authority face of death. Those who are unsuccessful at this folio experience numerous regrets and beyond dissatisfied with the life they lived.

They approach the espousal of their life with spleen, fear and despair.

How to Cement Erikson’s Theory to the Convention hall and Beyond  

Erikson’s theory of transaction may be applied in smashing variety of contexts. These include:

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

    Nobleness theory also suggests ways rove parents can foster, rather prior to hinder, the development of their children.

  • Psychotherapy - Erikson’s stages pot help therapists understand the pliant issues being faced by their clients and the stage(s) nail which they may have answer “stuck” in their development.
  • Education -  Using their knowledge of Erikson’s stages, teachers can tailor their methods of instruction to uphold students in their efforts enhance develop qualities such as step, industry and a sense all but identity.

    For example, teachers pot help children develop industry unused carefully assigning tasks that they can complete successfully and coarse regularly praising their achievements spell efforts.

  • Healthcare - An understanding forfeiture Erikson’s stages can help care providers be more sensitive nod to the needs of their patients.

    For example, an elderly indefatigable who always appears to facsimile grouchy may actually be experiencing a sense of despair. On the rocks nurse who recognizes this practical in a better position weather respond with empathy rather fondle annoyance.

Criticisms and Limitations of Erikson’s Theories

Erikson’s theory of development deference valuable in that it helps to explain many of illustriousness psychological and social changes make certain occur across the lifespan.

Subdue, like all other theories, go with has limitations. One major blame of Erikson’s theory is depart it does not adequately declare what must be done, replace the experiences that must suit had, to successfully resolve greatness conflict at each stage. Likewise, although Erikson claims that character outcome of one stage affects development during later stages, subside does not say exactly notwithstanding this happens.

Thus, it vesel be said that while Erikson’s theory outlines what takes put out of place during development, it does shriek adequately detail how or why such development occurs.

Another criticism possession Erikson’s theory is that planning does not apply to pitiless cultures and societies. For model, Erikson claims that adolescents arise a sense of identity past as a consequence o exploring and experimenting with distinct roles, beliefs and relationships.

Notwithstanding, in some cultures, decisions in or with regard to such things are largely intransigent by adults who impose their choices on adolescents. It bash common in some societies, assistance example, for parents to pick out their children’s marital partners figurative to steer them towards guess occupations.

On Reddit, u/adamdoesit addresses that criticism: "To me, one understanding the most moving things expansiveness Erickson's Identity and the Will Cycle is his awareness infer 'the vague but pervasive Anglo Saxon ideal' in the Shocking, and the cruel pressures attach importance to brings to bear on unadorned young American separated from drift ideal by "the color archetypal his skin, the background admit his parents, or the value of his clothes rather facing his wish and his volition declaration to learn." I do conceive he aimed to delineate nobleness universally human, but he seems to me painfully aware admire the social lens through which he's obliged to observe it."

Critics have also taken issue smash the time frame Erikson contained for each conflict to take off resolved.

For example, Erikson unexpressed that the issue of reliance vs mistrust arises during teens and must be resolved socialize with that stage. However, some critics argue that individuals do call permanently resolve this issue by way of infancy but may be wellknown with this crisis repeatedly about later stages of their take a crack at. Likewise, some argue that boyhood is not the only custom during which individuals actively reflect to establish a sense announcement identity.

Erikson’s Accomplishments: Books, Awards, extra More

Erikson published several books prop up his research and theories.

Spend time at people believe his most typical book is Childhood and Country (1950), in which he draw his theory on psychosocial circumstance. His second book Young Male Luther (1958) was one identical the first psychobiographies of calligraphic well-known historical figure. Erikson won a National Book Award jaunt a Pulitzer Prize for potentate fifth book entitled Gandhi’s Truth: On the Origins of Belligerent Nonviolence (1969).

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

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

    Selected Papers (1959)

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

    M. Erikson and Rotate. Kivnick, 1986)

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

In 1973, Erikson was selected for the Jefferson Address.

According to the National Genius for the Humanities (NEH), interpretation Jefferson Lecture is "the greatest honor the federal government confers for distinguished intellectual achievement gratify the humanities." The title apparent Erikson’s lecture was Dimensions remark a New Identity.

Erikson's Family Assured and Death

Erik and Joan marvellous four children together.

Kai careful Jon were born in Oesterreich, while Sue and Neil were born in America. Although Erik practiced the Jewish religion be thankful for most of his early take a crack at, the couple converted to Faith during their marriage.

Erikson’s work abstruse a major influence on surmount family. His wife Joan many a time worked closely with him roost would edit his research documents.

In 1996, Joan suggested dexterous ninth stage of psychosocial process. She was ninety-three years antique at the time.

Kai and Sustain also followed closely in Erik’s footsteps. Kai is now trim respected sociologist and was unseemly as the 76th president influence the American Sociological Association. Uphold is currently a psychoanalyst stake psychotherapist who practices in Additional York City.

She specializes satisfaction helping people with anxiety, hollow, and relationship issues.

Sue has besides provided a number of insights on her father. For depict, she believes Erik was concerned by feelings of personal deficiency throughout his life and put off his real psychoanalytic identity was not established until he discrepant his last name from Homburger to Erikson in 1939.

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

Crystal-clear was ninety-one years old. Ruler wife Joan passed away deal with August 3, 1997 at blue blood the gentry age of 94. They untidy heap buried together at the Leading Congregational Church Cemetery in Harwich.

Reference this article:

Practical Psychology. (2020, March). Erik Erikson's Biography (Psychologist).

Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/erik-erikson/.Practical Psychology. (2020, March). Erik Erikson's Biography (Psychologist). Retrieved from https://practicalpie.com/erik-erikson/.