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Erikson 's Theory Of Social Involvement Across The Entire Lifespan Essay

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During our lives, everyone goes through a change and evolves in different ways. However, in the field of psychology as far as development, the process of growing and maturing has been previously linked only with childhood. One of the first theorists Erik Erickson felt that development continues throughout life. Erickson believes that each stage in life resembles to specific opportunities that the society might have. Erickson’s theory defines the impact of social involvement across the entire lifespan. Each stage of Erikson’s stages is unique in their own way. Erikson decided to present eight different stages of the psychosocial crisis for almost each age group. According to Newman & Newman (2012), “Infancy: Trust versus mistrust (first 24 months), Toddlerhood: Autonomy versus shame and doubt (2 to 4 years old), Early School Age: Initiative versus guilt (4 to 6 years old), Middle Childhood: Industry versus inferiority (6 to 12 years old), Early Adolescence: Group identity versus alienation (12 to 18 years old), Later Adolescence: Individual identity versus identity confusion (18 to 24 years old), Early Adulthood: Intimacy versus isolation (24 to 34 years old), Middle Adulthood: Generativity versus stagnation (34 to 60 years old), Later Adulthood: Integrity versus despair (60 to 75 years old), and Elderhood: Immortality versus extinction (75 years old until death)” (p. 71). Even though each one of Eric Erickson stages of psychosocial crisis are different in their own way.

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