Erik Erikson's Theories of Midlife

Table of Contents

Introduction to Topic3

Background of Erik Erikson3

Erikson's Connection to Freud4

Psychosocial Theory of Development5

Seventh Stage: Midlife or Middle Adulthood6

Generativity vs. Stagnation6

Supplemental Research in Erickson's Support8

Critiques and Criticisms of Theory9

Conclusion10

Works Cited11

Erik Erikson's Theories of MidlifeIntroduction to Topic

Life is a series of lessons and challenges, which help us to grow and progress as we move from one phase to another. Erikson's wonderful theory helps to tell us why. The theory is helpful for child and adult development, and explains why individuals undertake certain actions or indulge in certain activities as they grow up. This paper discusses Erickson's life and his work, developing a special discussion and analysis about the seventh stage of generativity versus stagnation. This paper discussed and illustrated the points in agreement and argument of Erickson's work, so that the reader gets a clear idea about his theories of psycho-social development.

Background of Erik Erikson

Erik Homburger Erikson (June 15th, 1902 at Frankfurt to 12th May 1994 in Harwich, Massachusetts, USA) is considered a Neo-Freudian. He was a German-American psychoanalyst and a representative of psychoanalytic, ego psychology. He became known, especially through the development of his theory of psychosocial development. Erikson was born to Danish-born parents who are separated but before he was born. Shortly afterwards, his mother married the Jewish pediatrician Theodor Homburger, who had previously treated the three-year-old child, and moved to Frankfurt. Erikson attended an art school after his studies, traveled through Europe and arrived in Vienna with Anna Freud in contact. Here, Erikson's interest in psychoanalysis had been awakened; he gave up painting, underwent a training analysis and was trained as a psychoanalyst.

After the Nazis seized power in 1933 Erikson immigrated to the United States and became an American citizen in 1939. In the U.S., he developed and published his famous stage model of psychosocial development, a development of Freud's model of psychosexual development, which divided the development of man from his birth until his death in eight phases. In each of these phases of the development model leads to a developmental crisis, the solution paves the further development path. He was awarded the 1970 Pulitzer Prize for the biography of Mahatma Gandhi (“Gandhi's Truth”) (Rice, 1998).

Erikson's Connection to Freud

Erikson's Psychosocial Theory is an extension of the ideas presented by Sigmund Freud. The stages illustrated by Erickson find suitable extension and elaboration of Freud's psychosexual stages, which are fundamental to Freudian thoughts and theories. Freud's concepts have been found to be influential in Erickson's theories; however, Erickson made his own contributions that stand out even today. It is not a pre-requisite to understand Freud's theories in order to understand that of Erickson's; if we only develop a natural instinct towards Freud's learning, they can direct us towards the teachings of Erickson. The main point behind Erickson's connection to Freudian thoughts is, that he molded and developed Freud's theory in a socially-acceptable manner; relying on his core principles in order to progress from where Freud left (Erikson, ...