epigenetic theory Erickson's personality development

Erickson's epigenetic theory of personality development

E. Erikson's epigenetic theory of development Erik Erikson (1902-1994) - an outstanding ego psychologist, was a follower of Z. Freud, although he moved away from classical psychoanalysis on some issues.

The central position of his theory of development was that a person during

life passes through several stages universal for all mankind. The process of deployment of these stages is regulated in accordance with the epigenetic principle of maturation: 1. the personality develops in steps, the transition from one stage to another is predetermined by the readiness of the personality to move in the direction of further growth, expanding the conscious social outlook and the radius of social interaction; 2. society, in principle, is arranged in such a way that the development of human social capabilities is accepted approvingly, society tries to contribute to the preservation of this trend, as well as to support both

Proper tempo and proper sequence of development (Ziegler and Hjell). Erickson divided human life into eight distinct stages

psychosocial development of the ego. These stages are the result

The epigenetically unfolding "personality plan" that

inherited genetically. The epigenetic concept of development is based on the fact that each stage life cycle occurs at a certain time for it (critical period), as well as on

That a fully functioning personality is formed only by going through all the stages in its development. Each stage is accompanied by a crisis - a turning point

in the life of the individual, which arises as a consequence of achieving certain level psychological maturity and social requirements for the individual at this stage. Every crisis contains both positive and negative components.

Depending on how satisfactorily it is resolved. The central concept of Erickson's epigenetic theory of development is the ego modus - the predominant way the human "I" manifests itself in one way or another. life situation(personal plan).

Periods of psychosocial development according to Erickson: 1) oral stage(0-1 year) - infancy.

The ego mode is the mode of absorption (absorption) into oneself. First

the child psychologically looks and impresses everything that he sees around him, but this is still a passive absorption. Then - active absorption (enough miscellaneous items, explores them).

The main task is the formation and development of a sense of trust (distrust) in the world around. The interaction between mother and child is important, i.e. feeling

basic trust, which consists in the fact that the child trusts the world around him in the person of an adult (if it gets bad, then someone will come to the rescue). If there is no proper care, a basic distrust of the world is formed.

2) anal stage (1-3 years) - early age.

The ego modus is being transformed; for a growing organism, the possibilities of regulating retention (pushing out) become important; excretory processes (potty training). But it's happening

Not only physiologically, but also psychological level

– “can I be autonomous, self-manage. Either autonomy is formed, or a sense of shame and doubt (associated with the mechanism of publicity).

The child is already sufficiently autonomous in the sense of active

movement. Often people from the immediate environment

Can shame the child for uncleanliness, is formed

self-image as incapable of coping with

By yourself, i.e. as about a person acting shameful

Thus, the feeling of shame takes root. 3) phallic stage (3-6 years) - the age of the game.

The mode of the ego is intrusion (penetration somewhere).

There is an interest in one's gender and sexual differences. It is important that this is the age of the game.

The child develops either initiative, realizes himself, or the initiative is suppressed, narrow

limitations and feelings of guilt. Guilt is understanding oneself as the cause of wrong actions,

Evil, someone's loss (assessment of oneself as guilty). At this age, the superego is actively formed, because. appears

a huge number of restrictions.

4) latent stage (6-12 years) - industrial stage. At this stage, diligence, skill, mastery of work, creativity are manifested. The child's ability to

logical thinking and self-discipline, as well as the ability to interact with peers in accordance with the rules. Ego Identity - "I am what I have learned."

The opposite pole is incompetence, failure,

failure to.

5) adolescence (12-19 (20) years).

The main task is the formation of identity as a feeling

Continuous self-identity. A person spends the first 20 years of his life on entering the society in which he lives, mastering knowledge, accepting culture, becoming a full-fledged member of society, i.e. a harmonious “I-concept” (ego-identity) should be formed. In addition to the interest of adolescents in inter-gender relationships

(like Freud), for Erickson at this stage of development

More important is building a harmonious hierarchy

their roles (son, student, member of the company). If personality

Able to flexibly move from one role to another, then a harmonious identity is formed. Adolescents' inability to achieve personal identity leads to what Erickson called an identity crisis.

(role mixing). It is characterized by the inability to choose a career or continue education, otherwise a diffuse identity is formed. Problems: a) you have to accept yourself as a man or a woman; b) it is necessary to form a time perspective (planning for the future); c) accepting one's role in the group (leader-follower); d) formation of attitude (hetero-, homo-, bisexuality); e) ideological attitudes.

If adolescents do not cope with these tasks, then a

diffuse identity. However, at the end of adolescence

There is a moratorium (extended ripening of self-identity). 6) Youth (20 - 35 years) - early maturity. The main task is to achieve intimacy with other people.

At this stage, there is a search for close relationships, the creation

Families. Intimacy requires trust. If in

in the past there were failures, unresolved problems (guilt, shame, incompetence) and if the formed identity is diffuse, then the search for intimacy may be unsuccessful. If a person has not formed himself, then it will not be possible to create a full-fledged family because of the inability to bear responsibility, trust, etc. Thus, at one pole, “intimacy” is formed as a feeling that we experience for spouses, friends, parents, etc. (the ability to merge

Your identity with the identity of another person without fear that something in yourself will be lost). At the opposite pole is formed

isolation, excessive self-absorption, avoidance of interpersonal relationships.

7) maturity (35 years - end of employment). The main task is the choice between productivity and inertia.

This implies generativity, creativity, influencing the next generation. The opposite pole is stagnation, i.e. a person can do little, there is no creativity, no care. For now

The period accounts for the "mid-life crisis", which is expressed

in a sense of hopelessness, the meaninglessness of life.

8) old age (from 60 and older) - late adulthood. The identity period is coming to an end. In this period

the personality integrates the events of the previous life (achievement of wisdom). There is an acceptance of one's life with all the successes and failures, and the result of life is assessed as positive,

Those. ego integration takes place. If the individual cannot

positively comprehend your life path, then there is despair, disappointment, a feeling of bitterness and regret, which entails depression, hypochondria, anger.

stage age psychosocial crisis strong side oral 0-1 years Basic trust - mistrust Hope anal 1-3 years Autonomy - shame and doubt willpower phallic 3-6 years Initiative - guilt goal latent 6-12 years Diligence - incompetence competence adolescent 12-19 (20) Harmonious identity - diffuse identity fidelity youth 20-35 years old Intimacy - isolation love maturity 35-60 years old Productivity - stagnation care old age 60 and older Ego-integration - despair wisdom

The theory of E. Erickson, just like the theory of A. Freud, arose from the practice of psychoanalysis. E. Erickson created a psychoanalytic concept about the relationship between "I" and society. At the same time, his concept is the concept of childhood. The main task of E. Erickson was to develop a new psychohistorical theory of personality development, taking into account the specific cultural environment. According to E. Erickson, each stage of development corresponds to its own expectations inherent in a given society, which an individual can justify or not justify, and then he is either included in society or rejected by it. These considerations of E. Erickson formed the basis of 2 important concepts of his concept - " group identity" and " ego identity." Group identity formed due to the fact that from the first day of life, the upbringing of a child is focused on including him in a given social group, on developing the worldview inherent in this group. ego identity forms in parallel with group identity and creates in the subject a sense of stability and continuity of his "I", despite the changes that occur with the person in the process of his growth and development. The form of ego-identity or, in other words, the integrity of the personality continues throughout the life of a person and goes through a number of stages.

Stages of psychosocial development:

1. infancy (oral stage)- trust/distrust: a form of basic trust in the world, overcoming feelings of disunity and alienation;

2. early age (anal stage)– autonomy/doubt, shame; struggle against feelings of shame and doubt for independence and independence;

3. age of play (phallic stage)- initiative / guilt; developing an active initiative, and at the same time experiencing a sense of moral responsibility for one's desires;

4. school age (latent stage)– achievement/inferiority; forms of industriousness, which is opposed by the awareness of one's own ineptitude and uselessness;

5. adolescence– identity/diffusion of identity; the task of the first integral awareness of oneself and one's place in the world appears; the negative pole in solving this problem is the lack of confidence in understanding one's own "I" ("diffusion of identity");

6. youth– intimacy/isolation; search for a life partner and the establishment of close friendships that overcome the feeling of loneliness;

7. maturity- creativity / stagnation; fight creative forces a person against inertia and stagnation .;

8. old age– integration/disappointment in life; the formation of the final integral idea of ​​oneself, one's life path, as opposed to possible disappointment in life and growing despair.

The solution of each of these problems, according to E. Erickson, comes down to establishing a certain dynamic relationship between the two extreme poles. Personal development is the result of the struggle of these extreme possibilities, which does not fade during the transition to the next stage of development.

Ritualization in human behavior is an agreement-based interaction of at least two people who renew it at regular intervals in repetitive circumstances; it is essential to the "I" of all participants.

Stages of ritualization according to E. Erickson:

1. infancy - reciprocity (religion);

2. early childhood - the distinction between good and evil (judgment);

3. game age - dramatic development (theater);

4. school age - formal rules (school);

5. youth - solidarity of beliefs (ideology).

Elements of a developed ritual:

1) numinous , the ritual of mutual recognition, which, being formed in infancy, manifests itself in an expanded form in the relationship between mother and child, subsequently permeates all relationships between people.

2) critical- helps the child to distinguish between good and evil. At an early age, the independence of the child increases, which, however, has certain limits. The element of "reasonableness" (critical ritual) differs from the ritual of "reciprocity" (reverence) in that here, for the first time, the free will of the child arises.

3) dramatic. Form-Xia in the game period. In play, the child is able to avoid adult ritualization, he can correct and recreate past experience and anticipate future events.

4)formal, e-t perfection performance. The formalization of school relations has great importance for the external side of the ritualized behavior of adults. The external form of rituals affects the senses, supports the active tension of the "I", since this is a "conscious" order, in which h-to "takes part"

5) ideological, the improvisational side of ritualization. At this age, an ideological element is added to the elements of reverence, justice, dramatic and formal elements of ontogenetic development. The opposite pole at this stage is totalitarianism.

The concept of E. Erickson is called the epigenetic concept life path personality. As is known, the epigenetic principle is used in the study of embryonic development. According to this principle, everything that grows has a common plan. Based on this general plan, separate parts develop. Moreover, each of them has the most favorable period for predominant development. This happens until all the parts, having developed, form a functional whole.

Erik Erickson's theory arose from the practice of psychoanalysis. He interprets the structure of the personality in the same way as 3. Freud (as consisting of "It", "I", "Super-I"), the stages of personality development discovered by Freud are not rejected by Erickson, but become more complicated and, as it were, re-interpreted with positions of the new historical time. The psychosocial concept of personality development developed by Erickson shows the close relationship between the human psyche and the nature of the society in which he lives. Comparing the upbringing of children in Indian tribes with the upbringing of white American children led him to conclude that in every culture there is a special style of raising children - it is always accepted by the mother as the only correct one. This style is determined by what the society in which he lives expects from the child. Each stage of human development corresponds to its own, inherent in this society, expectations, which a person can justify or not justify. The entire childhood of a person - from birth to adolescence - is considered by Erickson as a long period of formation of a mature psychosocial identity, as a result of which a person acquires an objective sense of belonging to his social group, an understanding of the uniqueness of his individual being. The core around which personality is built is the acquisition of ego-identity.

Erickson introduced the concept group identity", which is formed from the first days of life. The child is focused on inclusion in a certain social group, begins to understand the world the way this group does. But gradually the child is formed and " ego identity", a sense of stability and continuity of one's "I", despite the fact that there are many processes of change. The formation of an ego identity is a long process, it includes a number of stages of personality development. Each stage is characterized by tasks of this age, and tasks are put forward by society. But solving problems is determined by the already achieved level of psychomotor development of a person and the spiritual atmosphere of the society in which a person lives.

1. At the stage of infancy (1st stage) leading role in the life of a child, the mother plays, she feeds, cares, gives affection, care, as a result of which the child develops a basic trust in the world. Basic trust is manifested in the ease of feeding, good sleep of the child, normal bowel function, the ability of the child to calmly wait for the mother (does not scream, does not call, the child is sure that the mother will come and do what is needed). The dynamics of trust development depends on the mother. What is important here is not the quantity of food, but the quality of child care, the mother's confidence in her actions is important. If the mother is anxious, neurotic, if the situation in the family is tense, if the child is given little attention (for example, a child in an orphanage), a basic distrust of the world, stable pessimism is formed. A pronounced deficit in emotional communication with the infant leads to a sharp slowdown in mental development child.
2. 2nd stage early childhood associated with the formation of autonomy and independence, the child begins to walk, learns to control himself when performing acts of defecation; society and parents accustom the child to neatness, tidiness, begin to shame for "wet pants". Social disapproval opens the child's eyes inward, he feels the possibility of punishment, a sense of shame is formed. At the end of the stage there must be a balance of "autonomy" and "shame". This ratio will be positively favorable for the development of the child, if the parents do not suppress the desires of the child, do not beat them for wrongdoing.
3. At the age of 3-6 years, at the 3rd stage, the child is already convinced that he is a person, as he runs, knows how to speak, expands the area of ​​​​mastering the world, the child develops a sense of enterprise, initiative, which is laid in the child's game. The game is very important for the development of the child, that is, it forms initiative, creativity, the child masters relationships between people through the game, develops his mental abilities: will, memory, thinking, etc. But if parents strongly suppress the child, do not pay attention to his games, this negatively affects the development of the child, contributes to the consolidation of passivity, insecurity, feelings of guilt.
4. In junior school age(4th stage) the child has already exhausted the possibilities of development within the family, and now the school introduces the child to knowledge about future activities, transfers the technological experience of culture. If a child successfully masters knowledge, new skills, he believes in his own strength, he is confident, calm, but failures at school lead to the appearance, and sometimes to consolidation, of a feeling of inferiority, disbelief in his own strength, despair, loss of interest in learning. In case of inferiority, the child, as it were, returns to the family again, it is a refuge for him, if the parents with understanding try to help the child overcome difficulties in learning. In the event that parents only scold and punish for bad grades, a child’s feeling of inferiority is sometimes fixed for the rest of his life.
5. In adolescence (stage 5), a central form of ego-identity is formed. Rapid physiological growth, puberty, concern about how he looks in front of others, the need to find his professional vocation, abilities, skills - these are the questions that confront a teenager, and these are society's requirements for a teenager about self-determination. At this stage, all critical past moments rise up again. If on early stages the child has formed autonomy, initiative, trust in the world, confidence in his usefulness, significance, then the teenager successfully creates a holistic form of ego-identity, finds his "I", self-recognition from others. Otherwise, identity diffusion occurs, the teenager cannot find his "I", is not aware of his goals and desires, there is a return, regression to infantile, childish, dependent reactions, a vague but stable feeling of anxiety appears, a feeling of loneliness, emptiness, a constant expectation of something that can change life, but the person himself does not actively undertake anything, there is a fear of personal communication and an inability to emotionally influence persons of the opposite sex, hostility, contempt for the surrounding society, a feeling of "non-recognition of oneself" from the people around. If a person has found himself, then identification is facilitated.
6. At the 6th stage (youth), the search for a life partner becomes relevant for a person, close cooperation with people, strengthening ties with his social group, a person is not afraid of depersonalization, he mixes his identity with other people, a feeling of closeness, unity, cooperation, intimacy appears with certain people.
7. However, if the diffusion of identity passes to this age, the person becomes isolated, isolation and loneliness are fixed. 7th - the central stage - the adult stage of personality development. The development of identity goes on throughout life, there is an impact on the part of other people, especially children, they confirm that they need you. Positive symptoms of this stage: a person invests himself in good, beloved work and care for children, is satisfied with himself and life. If there is no one to pour out one's "I" on (no favorite work, family, children), then the person is devastated, stagnation, inertia, psychological and physiological regression is outlined. As a rule, such negative symptoms are strongly pronounced if the personality has been prepared for this throughout the course of its development, if there have always been negative choices at the stages of development.
8. After 50 years (8th stage), a complete form of ego-identity is created on the basis of the entire path of personality development, a person rethinks his whole life, realizes his "I" in spiritual reflections about the past years. A person must understand that his life is a unique destiny that does not need to be redone, a person "accepts" himself and his life, realizes the need for a logical conclusion of life, shows wisdom, a detached interest in life in the face of death. If "acceptance of oneself and life" has not happened, a person feels disappointment, loses the taste for life, feels that life has gone wrong, in vain.

According to Erickson, a person experiences eight psychosocial crises throughout life, specific to each age, the favorable or unfavorable outcome of which determines the possibility of the subsequent flourishing of the personality.

1. The first crisis a person experiences in the first year of life. It is related to whether or not the basic physiological needs of the child are met by the person caring for him. In the first case, the child develops a feeling of deep trust in the world around him, and in the second - distrust of him.
2. The second crisis is related to the first learning experience, especially with teaching the child to cleanliness. If the parents understand the child and help him control the natural functions, the child gains an experience of autonomy. On the contrary, too strict or too inconsistent external control leads to the development of shame or doubt in the child, mainly associated with the fear of losing control over his own body.
3. The third crisis corresponds second childhood. At this age, the child's self-assertion takes place. The plans that he constantly makes and which he is allowed to carry out, contribute to the development of his sense of initiative. On the contrary, the experience of repeated failures and irresponsibility can lead him to resignation and guilt.
4. The fourth crisis is coming at school age. At school, the child learns to work, preparing for future tasks. Depending on the atmosphere prevailing in the school and the methods of education adopted, the child develops a taste for work or, on the contrary, a feeling of inferiority, both in terms of the use of means and opportunities, and in terms of his own status among his comrades.
5. The fifth crisis is being experienced adolescents of both sexes in search of identification (assimilation of patterns of behavior of other people that are significant for a teenager). This process involves bringing together the adolescent's past experiences, his potentialities and the choices he must make. The adolescent's inability to identify, or the difficulties associated with it, can lead to "dispersion" or confusion about the roles that the adolescent plays or will play in the affective, social and professional spheres.
6. The sixth crisis is peculiar young adults. It is associated with the search for closeness with a loved one, with whom he will have to go through the cycle of "work-bearing children-leisure" in order to ensure that his children develop properly. The absence of such experience leads to the isolation of a person and his closure on himself.
7. The seventh crisis is experienced by man at the age of forty. It is characterized by the development of a sense of the preservation of the family (generativity), which is expressed mainly in "interest in the next generation and its upbringing." This period of life is characterized by high productivity and creativity in various fields. If, on the contrary, the evolution of married life goes in a different way, it can freeze in a state of pseudo-intimacy (stagnation), which dooms the spouses to exist only for themselves, with the risk of impoverishment of interpersonal relationships.
8. The eighth crisis is experienced during aging. It marks the end of the previous life path, and the resolution depends on how this path was traveled. A person's achievement of wholeness is based on summing up the results of his past life and awareness of it as a single whole, in which nothing can be changed. If a person cannot bring his past actions together, he ends his life in fear of death and in despair at the impossibility of starting life anew.

E. Erickson's theory arose from the practice of psychoanalysis. However, unlike the theory of 3. Freud, his model of development is psychosocial, not psychosexual. Thus, the influence of culture and society on development was emphasized, and not the influence of the pleasure received from the stimulation of erogenous zones. In his opinion, the foundations of the human self are rooted in the social organization of society.

E. Erickson was the first to use the psychohistorical method (the application of psychoanalysis to history), which required him to pay equal attention to both the psychology of the individual and the nature of the society in which a person lives.

According to E. Erickson, each stage of development corresponds to its own expectations inherent in a given society, which an individual may or may not justify, and then he is either included in society or rejected by it. These considerations of E. Erickson formed the basis of the two most important concepts of his concept - "group identity" and "ego identity". Group identity is formed due to the fact that from the first day of life, the upbringing of a child is focused on including him in a given social group - on developing a worldview inherent in this group. Egoidentity is formed in parallel with group identity and creates in the subject a sense of stability and continuity of his Self, despite the changes that occur to a person in the process of his growth and development.

The formation of ego identity or, in other words, the integrity of the individual, continues throughout a person's life and goes through a number of stages. Each stage of the life cycle is characterized by a specific task that is put forward by society. Society also determines the content of development at different stages of the life cycle. However, the solution of the problem, according to E. Erickson, depends both on the level of psychomotor development of the individual already achieved, and on the general spiritual atmosphere of the society in which this individual lives.

The task of infancy is the formation of basic trust in the world, overcoming feelings of disunity and alienation. Task early age- struggle against feelings of shame and strong doubts in their actions for their own independence and self-reliance. The task of the playing age is the development of an active initiative and at the same time experiencing a sense of guilt and moral responsibility for one's desires. During the period of study at school, a new task arises - the formation of industriousness and the ability to handle tools, which is opposed by the awareness of one's own ineptitude and uselessness. In adolescence and early adolescence, the task of the first integral awareness of oneself and one's place in the world appears; the negative pole in solving this problem is the lack of confidence in understanding one's own self ("diffusion of identity"). The task of the end of youth and the beginning of maturity is the search for a life partner and the establishment of close friendships that overcome the feeling of loneliness. The task of the mature period is the struggle of the creative forces of man against inertia and stagnation. The period of old age is characterized by the formation of a final integral idea of ​​oneself, one's life path, as opposed to possible disappointment in life and growing despair.

The solution of each of these problems, according to E. Erickson, is reduced to the establishment of a certain dynamic relationship between the two extreme poles. The development of personality is the result of the struggle of these extreme possibilities, which does not subside during the transition to the next stage of development. This struggle at a new stage of development is suppressed by the solution of a new, more urgent task, but incompleteness makes itself felt during periods of life's failures. The balance achieved at each stage marks the acquisition of a new form of ego identity and opens up the possibility of including the subject in a wider social environment. When raising a child, one should not forget that "negative" feelings always exist and serve as dynamic countermembers of "positive" feelings throughout life.

The transition from one form of ego identity to another causes identity crises. Crises, according to E. Erickson, are not a personality disease, not a manifestation of a neurotic disorder, but "turning points", "moments of choice between progress and regression, integration and delay."

E. Erickson's book "Childhood and Society" presents his model of "eight human ages". According to Erickson, all people in their development go through eight crises, or conflicts. Psychosocial adaptation, achieved by a person at each stage of development, at a later age can change its character, sometimes radically. For example, children who were deprived of love and warmth in infancy may become normal adults if additional attention was given to them in later stages. However, the nature of psychosocial adaptation to conflicts plays an important role in the development of a particular person. The resolution of these conflicts is cumulative, and how a person adjusts to life at each stage of development influences how they deal with the next conflict.

According to Erickson's theory, specific developmental conflicts become critical only at certain points in the life cycle. At each of the eight stages of personality development, one of the developmental tasks, or one of these conflicts, becomes more important than others. However, despite the fact that each of the conflicts is critical only at one of the stages, it is present throughout life. For example, the need for autonomy is especially important for children aged 1 to 3 years, but throughout life people must constantly check the degree of their independence, which they can show each time they enter into new relationships with other people. The stages of development given below are represented by their poles. In fact, no one becomes absolutely trusting or distrustful: in fact, people vary in the degree of trust or distrust throughout their lives.

As a result of the struggle of positive and negative tendencies in solving the main problems during epigenesis, the main “virtues of the personality” are formed - the central neoplasms of age. Since positive qualities are opposed to negative ones, the virtues of a person have two poles - positive (in the case of solving the main social problem of age) and negative (in case this problem is not solved).

So, basic faith against basic distrust gives rise to HOPE - DISTANCE; autonomy versus shame and doubt: WILL - IMPULSE; initiative versus guilt: PURPOSE - APATHY; hard work against feelings of inferiority: COMPETENCE - INERTIA; identity vs. identity diffusion: LOYALTY - RENANT; intimacy versus loneliness: LOVE IS CLOSED; generation versus self-absorption: CARE - REJECTION; egointegration versus loss of interest in life: WISDOM IS CONSPIRECT.

Stages of the life cycle and their characteristics, given by E. Erickson, presented in Table. 3 (the table is given according to ).

1. Trust or distrust. The formation of this first form of ego-identity, like all subsequent forms, is accompanied by a developmental crisis. His indicators at the end of the first year of life: general tension due to teething, increased awareness of himself as a separate individual, weakening of the mother-child dyad as a result of the mother's return to professional pursuits and personal interests. This crisis is more easily overcome if, by the end of the first year of life, the ratio between the child's basic trust in the world and basic distrust is in favor of the first.

2. Autonomy or shame and doubt. Starting to walk, children discover the possibilities of their body and ways to control it. They learn to eat and dress, use the toilet and learn new ways to get around. When a child manages to do something on his own, he gains a sense of self-control and self-confidence. But if a child constantly fails and is punished for it or called sloppy, dirty, incapable, bad, he gets used to feeling shame and self-doubt.

3. Initiative or guilt. Children aged 4-5 take their exploratory activity outside of their own bodies. They learn how the world works and how you can influence it. The world for them consists of both real and imaginary people and things. If their research activities are generally effective, they learn to deal with people and things in a constructive way and gain a strong sense of initiative. However, if they are severely criticized or punished, they get used to feeling guilty for many of their actions.

4. Industriousness or feeling of inferiority. Between the ages of 6 and 11, children develop numerous skills and abilities at school, at home and among their peers. According to Erickson's theory, the sense of self is greatly enriched with the realistic growth of the child's competence in various areas. Everything greater value gains self-comparison with peers. During this period, negative evaluation of oneself in comparison with others causes especially strong harm.

5. Identity or confusion of roles. Before adolescence, children learn a number of different roles - student or friend, older brother or sister, student at a sports or music school, etc. During adolescence and adolescence, it is important to understand these different roles and integrate them into one holistic identity. Boys and girls are looking for basic values ​​and attitudes that cover all these roles. If they fail to integrate a core identity or resolve a serious conflict between two important roles with opposing value systems, the result is what Erickson calls identity diffusion.

The fifth stage in personality development is characterized by the deepest life crisis. Childhood is coming to an end. The completion of this major stage of the life path is characterized by the formation of the first integral form of ego-identity. Three lines of development lead to this crisis: rapid physical growth and puberty (the "physiological revolution"); preoccupation with “how I look in the eyes of others”, “what I am”; the need to find a professional vocation that meets the acquired skills, individual abilities and the requirements of society. In the adolescent identity crisis, all past critical moments of development reappear. The teenager must now solve all the old problems consciously and with an inner conviction that it is this choice that is significant for him and for society. Then social trust in the world, independence, initiative, mastered skills will create a new integrity of the individual.

6. Closeness or isolation. In late adolescence and early adulthood, the central conflict of development is the conflict between intimacy and isolation. In Erickson's description, intimacy includes more than sexual intimacy. It is the ability to give a part of yourself to another person of any gender without fear of losing your own identity. Success in establishing this kind of close relationship depends on how the five previous conflicts were resolved.

The interval between youth and adulthood, when a young person seeks (through trial and error) to find his place in society, E. Erickson called "mental moratorium". The severity of this crisis depends both on the degree of resolution of earlier crises (trust, independence, activity, etc.), and on the entire spiritual atmosphere of society. An unsurmounted crisis leads to a state of acute diffusion of identity, which forms the basis of a special pathology of adolescence. Identity pathology syndrome, according to E. Erickson: regression to the infantile level and the desire to delay the acquisition of adult status as long as possible; a vague but persistent state of anxiety; feelings of isolation and emptiness; constantly being in a state of something that can change life; fear of personal communication and inability to emotionally influence persons of the opposite sex; hostility and contempt for all recognized social roles.

7. Generativity or stagnation. In adulthood, after previous conflicts are partially resolved, men and women can pay more attention and help other people. Parents sometimes find themselves helping their children. Some people can direct their energy toward resolution without conflict. social problems. But failure to resolve previous conflicts often leads to excessive self-absorption: excessive concern for one's health, the desire to satisfy one's psychological needs without fail, to preserve one's peace, etc. .

8. Ego integrity or despair. In the last stages of life, people usually review the life they have lived and evaluate it in a new way. If a person, looking back at his life, is satisfied because it was filled with meaning and active participation in the events, he comes to the conclusion that he did not live in vain and fully realized what was allotted to him by fate. Then he accepts his life as a whole, as it is. But if life seems to him a waste of energy and a series of missed opportunities, he has a feeling of despair. Obviously, this or that resolution of this last conflict in a person's life depends on the cumulative experience gained in the course of resolving all previous conflicts.

The concept of E. Erickson is called the epigenetic concept of the life path of the individual. As is known, the epigenetic principle is used in the study of embryonic development. According to this principle, everything that grows has a common plan. Based on this general plan, separate parts develop. Moreover, each of them has the most favorable period for predominant development. This happens until all the parts, having developed, form a functional whole. Epigenetic concepts in biology emphasize the role of external factors in the emergence of new forms and structures and thus oppose preformist teachings. From the point of view of E. Erickson, the sequence of stages is the result of biological maturation, but the content of development is determined by what the society to which he belongs expects from a person. According to E. Erickson, any person can go through all these stages, no matter what culture he belongs to, it all depends on how long his life is.

The significance of E. Erickson's concept lies in the fact that he was the first to characterize the stages of the entire life cycle and introduced late ages into the area of ​​interest developmental psychology. He created a psychoanalytic concept about the relationship between the Self and society and formulated a number of important for practical psychology concepts of "group identity", "ego-identity", "mental moratorium.

E. Erickson's theory arose from the practice of psychoanalysis. However, unlike the theory of 3. Freud, his model of development is psychosocial, not psychosexual. Thus, the influence of culture and society on development was emphasized, and not the influence of the pleasure received from the stimulation of erogenous zones. In his opinion, the foundations of the human self are rooted in the social organization of society.

E. Erickson was the first to use the psychohistorical method (the application of psychoanalysis to history), which required him to pay equal attention to both the psychology of the individual and the nature of the society in which a person lives.

According to E. Erickson, each stage of development corresponds to its own expectations inherent in a given society, which an individual may or may not justify, and then he is either included in society or rejected by it. These considerations of E. Erickson formed the basis of the two most important concepts of his concept - "group identity" and "ego identity". Group identity is formed due to the fact that from the first day of life, the upbringing of a child is focused on including him in a given social group - on developing a worldview inherent in this group. Egoidentity is formed in parallel with group identity and creates in the subject a sense of stability and continuity of his Self, despite the changes that occur to a person in the process of his growth and development.

The formation of ego identity or, in other words, the integrity of the individual, continues throughout a person's life and goes through a number of stages. Each stage of the life cycle is characterized by a specific task that is put forward by society. Society also determines the content of development at different stages of the life cycle. However, the solution of the problem, according to E. Erickson, depends both on the level of psychomotor development of the individual already achieved, and on the general spiritual atmosphere of the society in which this individual lives.

The task of infancy is the formation of basic trust in the world, overcoming feelings of disunity and alienation. The task of an early age is the struggle against a sense of shame and strong doubts in one's actions for one's own independence and self-sufficiency. The task of the playing age is the development of an active initiative and at the same time experiencing a sense of guilt and moral responsibility for one's desires. During the period of study at school, a new task arises - the formation of industriousness and the ability to handle tools, which is opposed by the awareness of one's own ineptitude and uselessness. In adolescence and early adolescence, the task of the first integral awareness of oneself and one's place in the world appears; the negative pole in solving this problem is the lack of confidence in understanding one's own self ("diffusion of identity"). The task of the end of youth and the beginning of maturity is the search for a life partner and the establishment of close friendships that overcome the feeling of loneliness. The task of the mature period is the struggle of the creative forces of man against inertia and stagnation. The period of old age is characterized by the formation of a final integral idea of ​​oneself, one's life path, as opposed to possible disappointment in life and growing despair.

The solution of each of these problems, according to E. Erickson, is reduced to the establishment of a certain dynamic relationship between the two extreme poles. The development of personality is the result of the struggle of these extreme possibilities, which does not subside during the transition to the next stage of development. This struggle at a new stage of development is suppressed by the solution of a new, more urgent task, but incompleteness makes itself felt during periods of life's failures. The balance achieved at each stage marks the acquisition of a new form of ego identity and opens up the possibility of including the subject in a wider social environment. When raising a child, one should not forget that "negative" feelings always exist and serve as dynamic countermembers of "positive" feelings throughout life.

The transition from one form of ego identity to another causes identity crises. Crises, according to E. Erickson, are not a personality disease, not a manifestation of a neurotic disorder, but "turning points", "moments of choice between progress and regression, integration and delay."

E. Erickson's book "Childhood and Society" presents his model of "eight human ages". According to Erickson, all people in their development go through eight crises, or conflicts. Psychosocial adaptation, achieved by a person at each stage of development, at a later age can change its character, sometimes radically. For example, children who were deprived of love and warmth in infancy may become normal adults if additional attention was given to them in later stages. However, the nature of psychosocial adaptation to conflicts plays an important role in the development of a particular person. The resolution of these conflicts is cumulative, and how a person adjusts to life at each stage of development influences how they deal with the next conflict.

According to Erickson's theory, specific developmental conflicts become critical only at certain points in the life cycle. At each of the eight stages of personality development, one of the developmental tasks, or one of these conflicts, becomes more important than others. However, despite the fact that each of the conflicts is critical only at one of the stages, it is present throughout life. For example, the need for autonomy is especially important for children aged 1 to 3 years, but throughout life people must constantly check the degree of their independence, which they can show each time they enter into new relationships with other people. The stages of development given below are represented by their poles. In fact, no one becomes absolutely trusting or distrustful: in fact, people vary in the degree of trust or distrust throughout their lives.

As a result of the struggle of positive and negative tendencies in solving the main problems during epigenesis, the main “virtues of the personality” are formed - the central neoplasms of age. Since positive qualities are opposed to negative ones, the virtues of a person have two poles - positive (in the case of solving the main social problem of age) and negative (in case this problem is not solved).

So, basic faith against basic distrust gives rise to HOPE - DISTANCE; autonomy versus shame and doubt: WILL - IMPULSE; initiative versus guilt: PURPOSE - APATHY; hard work against feelings of inferiority: COMPETENCE - INERTIA; identity vs. identity diffusion: LOYALTY - RENANT; intimacy versus loneliness: LOVE IS CLOSED; generation versus self-absorption: CARE - REJECTION; egointegration versus loss of interest in life: WISDOM IS CONSPIRECT.

Stages of the life cycle and their characteristics, given by E. Erickson, presented in Table. 3 (the table is given according to ).

1. Trust or distrust. The formation of this first form of ego-identity, like all subsequent forms, is accompanied by a developmental crisis. His indicators at the end of the first year of life: general tension due to teething, increased awareness of himself as a separate individual, weakening of the mother-child dyad as a result of the mother's return to professional pursuits and personal interests. This crisis is more easily overcome if, by the end of the first year of life, the ratio between the child's basic trust in the world and basic distrust is in favor of the first.

2. Autonomy or shame and doubt. Starting to walk, children discover the possibilities of their body and ways to control it. They learn to eat and dress, use the toilet and learn new ways to get around. When a child manages to do something on his own, he gains a sense of self-control and self-confidence. But if a child constantly fails and is punished for it or called sloppy, dirty, incapable, bad, he gets used to feeling shame and self-doubt.

3. Initiative or guilt. Children aged 4-5 take their exploratory activity outside of their own bodies. They learn how the world works and how you can influence it. The world for them consists of both real and imaginary people and things. If their research activities are generally effective, they learn to deal with people and things in a constructive way and gain a strong sense of initiative. However, if they are severely criticized or punished, they get used to feeling guilty for many of their actions.

4. Industriousness or feeling of inferiority. Between the ages of 6 and 11, children develop numerous skills and abilities at school, at home and among their peers. According to Erickson's theory, the sense of self is greatly enriched with the realistic growth of the child's competence in various areas. It is becoming increasingly important to compare yourself with your peers. During this period, negative evaluation of oneself in comparison with others causes especially strong harm.

5. Identity or confusion of roles. Before adolescence, children learn a number of different roles - student or friend, older brother or sister, student at a sports or music school, etc. During adolescence and adolescence, it is important to understand these different roles and integrate them into one holistic identity. Boys and girls are looking for basic values ​​and attitudes that cover all these roles. If they fail to integrate a core identity or resolve a major conflict between two important roles with opposing value systems, the result is what Erickson calls identity diffusion.

The fifth stage in personality development is characterized by the deepest life crisis. Childhood is coming to an end. The completion of this major stage of the life path is characterized by the formation of the first integral form of ego-identity. Three lines of development lead to this crisis: rapid physical growth and puberty (the “physiological revolution”); preoccupation with “how I look in the eyes of others”, “what I am”; the need to find one's professional vocation that meets the acquired skills, individual abilities and the requirements of society. In the adolescent identity crisis, all past critical moments of development reappear. The teenager must now solve all the old problems consciously and with an inner conviction that it is this choice that is significant for him and for society. Then social trust in the world, independence, initiative, mastered skills will create a new integrity of the individual.

6. Closeness or isolation. In late adolescence and early adulthood, the central conflict of development is the conflict between intimacy and isolation. In Erickson's description, intimacy includes more than sexual intimacy. It is the ability to give a part of yourself to another person of any gender without fear of losing your own identity. Success in establishing this kind of close relationship depends on how the five previous conflicts were resolved.

The interval between youth and adulthood, when a young person seeks (through trial and error) to find his place in society, E. Erickson called "mental moratorium". The severity of this crisis depends both on the degree of resolution of earlier crises (trust, independence, activity, etc.), and on the entire spiritual atmosphere of society. An unsurmounted crisis leads to a state of acute diffusion of identity, which forms the basis of a special pathology of adolescence. Identity pathology syndrome, according to E. Erickson: regression to the infantile level and the desire to delay the acquisition of adult status as long as possible; a vague but persistent state of anxiety; feelings of isolation and emptiness; constantly being in a state of something that can change life; fear of personal communication and inability to emotionally influence persons of the opposite sex; hostility and contempt for all recognized social roles.

7. Generativity or stagnation. In adulthood, after previous conflicts are partially resolved, men and women can pay more attention and help other people. Parents sometimes find themselves helping their children. Some people can direct their energies toward solving social problems without conflict. But failure to resolve previous conflicts often leads to excessive self-absorption: excessive concern for one's health, the desire to satisfy one's psychological needs without fail, to preserve one's peace, etc. .

8. Ego integrity or despair. In the last stages of life, people usually review the life they have lived and evaluate it in a new way. If a person, looking back at his life, is satisfied because it was filled with meaning and active participation in events, then he comes to the conclusion that he did not live in vain and fully realized what was allotted to him by fate. Then he accepts his life as a whole, as it is. But if life seems to him a waste of energy and a series of missed opportunities, he has a feeling of despair. Obviously, this or that resolution of this last conflict in a person's life depends on the cumulative experience gained in the course of resolving all previous conflicts.

The concept of E. Erickson is called the epigenetic concept of the life path of the individual. As is known, the epigenetic principle is used in the study of embryonic development. According to this principle, everything that grows has a common plan. Based on this general plan, separate parts develop. Moreover, each of them has the most favorable period for predominant development. This happens until all the parts, having developed, form a functional whole. Epigenetic concepts in biology emphasize the role of external factors in the emergence of new forms and structures and thus oppose preformist teachings. From the point of view of E. Erickson, the sequence of stages is the result of biological maturation, but the content of development is determined by what the society to which he belongs expects from a person. According to E. Erickson, any person can go through all these stages, no matter what culture he belongs to, it all depends on how long his life is.

The significance of E. Erickson's concept lies in the fact that he was the first to characterize the stages of the entire life cycle and introduced later ages into the area of ​​interest of developmental psychology. He created a psychoanalytic concept about the relationship between the Self and society and formulated a number of concepts of “group identity”, “ego-identity”, “mental moratorium” that are important for practical psychology.