Erik Erikson - Ego Psychology

Erik Erikson

[Brief Biography of Erik Erikson]

• The post Freudian who focused on Ego Psychology
• The son of Karla Abraham (mother)
• Born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1902, died in 1994 (91 years old)
• First stepfather : Valdemar Isidor Salomonsen
• Second stepfather : Erik Homberger
• Biological father : Unknown Danish Man
• Coined the term "Identity Crisis"

             - Erikson = A chosen name

• Finished in a gymnasium (~high school)

             - Never obtained a Bachelor's Degree

             - Become a professor in Harvard and Yale

• Wandering artist and poet

             - In search of his biological father; in search of his identity

• Met Anna Freud

             - Anna Freud was pioneering Ego Psychology

[Ego Psychology]

• Freudian Ego

             - Id is the strongest (Sex & aggression)

• Ego Psychology's Ego

             - Ego is a positive force that creates identity

             - Organized experiences into a unified personality

                    - Person's experiences with Society

[Ego]

• 8 Storage Framework

             - Infancy, Early childhood, play age, school age, Adolescence, Young adulthood, old age

• Epigenetic Principle

             - Step by step growth of the ego

             - Sensitive periods

• Stage

             - Syntonic (harmonious) element  VS  Dystonic (disruptive) element

             - Basic strength

             - Core pathology

[Infancy]

• Roughly 1st years of life
• Corresponds with Freud's oral stage

             - A time of incorporation

• Oral Sensory Mode

             - Infant receiving and accepting

             - Someone giving to the infant

• Basic Trust  VS  Basic Mistrust

             - If the baby's need are met, basic trust develops; if not, the baby develops basic mistrust

             - Both are inevitable experiences

             - Basic trust is syntonic; Basic mistrust is dystonic : A healthy mix of both is necessary

• Basic strength : Hope
• Core Pathology : Withdrawal

[Early childhood]

• 2nd & 3rd years of life
• Corresponds with Freud's Anal stage

             - A time of mastering body function

• Anal-Urethral-Muscular mode

             - Toilet training, walking, running

             - Impulsive self expression

             - Compulsive deviance : children like to say 'No'

• Autonomy  VS  Shame & Doubt

             - Whether the child is praised for exploring or they are scolded for doing something

             - Autonomy is syntonic; Shame & Doubt are dystonic : A healthy mix of both is necessary

             - Basic trust helps facilitate autonomy

• Basic Strength : Will
• Core pathology : Compulsion

[Play age]

• Ages 3-5
• Corresponds with Freud's phallic stage

             - Oedipus complex  VS  Pretend play

• Genital-Locomotor Mode

             - Mastery of body functions

             - Activities with a purpose

             - Fantasies of growing up - I want to be @@!

• Initiative  VS  Guilt

             - Children who successfully pursue goals develop initiative but these with taboo goals

                develop guilt

             - Initiative is syntonic; Guilt is dystonic : A healthy mix of both is necessary

             - Anatomy helps facilitate initiative

• Basic strength : Purpose
• Core pathology : Inhibition

[School age]

• Age 6-12/13
• Corresponds with Freud's Latency stage

             - Children are educated in the ways of society

• Latency

             - School's reading, writing, and arithmetic

             - Preliterate society's hunting, fishing, farming

             - Tremendous social growth

• Industry  VS  Inferiority

             - Children who do well in society develop industry but those who don't develop inferiority

             - Industry is syntonic; Inferiority is dystonic : A healthy mix of both is necessary

             - Initiative helps facilitate industry

• Basic strength : Competence
• Core pathology : Inerita

[Adolescence]

• Between puberty(12) to young adulthood(18)
• Social Latency

             - No expectation to commit to anything

• Identity

             - Who am I  VS  Who am I not : Many faceted

             - Culminates in an identity crisis

• Identity Crisis (Negative)

             - A crucial period of increased vulnerability and heightened potential

             - Childhood identifications and socio-historical context help shape identity

             - Values of parent and of peers

• Identity  VS  Identity Confusion

             - Identity is syntonic; Identity confusion is dystonic : A healthy mix of both is necessary

             - All the previous syntonic qualities help achieve identity

• Basic strength : Fidelity
• Core pathology : Role Repudiation

             - Diffidence

             - Defiance - tend do reveal

[Young adulthood]

• Age 19 to 30
• Corresponds with Freud's Genital stage

             - True Genitality is not mere sex

• Intimacy  VS  Isolation

             - Intimacy is the fusion of identities without the fear of losing it

             - Intimacy is only possible after attaining identity

• Basic strength : Love
• Core pathology : Exclusivity

[Middle adulthood]

• Age 31 to 60
• Procreativity

             - Both physical and psychological

• Generativity  VS  Stagnation & Self-absorption

             - Generating children, ideas, projects, teaching Etc.

• Basic Strength : Care

             - Productive member of society

             - Love needs to be achieved before one can care

• Core pathology : Rejectivity - Destructive member of society

[Old Adulthood]

• Ages 61 to Death
• Integrity  VS  Despair

             - Wholeness  VS  Hopelessness

• Basic Strength : Wisdom - Achieved if all ego strengths are achieved
• Core pathology : Disdain