Erik Erikson psychosocial theory has revolutionized developmental thought (Sokol, 2009). He developed eight stages of psychosocial development. This paper will focus on generativity vs stagnation and ego integrity vs despair. Each stage is related with an inherent conflict or crisis that the individual must experience and effectively make plans to continue with development (Sokol, 2009). Erikson used the term crisis in a developmental sense to connote not a threat of catastrophe, but a turning point, a crucial period of increased vulnerability and heightened potential (Sokol, 2009). Each psychosocial stage has both successful and unsuccessful outcomes. Successfully overcoming each stage result in respective psychological strengths: hope, will, purpose, competence, fidelity, love, care, and wisdom (Perry, et. al, 2015). This paper will compare and contrast middle generativity vs. stagnation and late ego integrity vs despair, discuss the important characteristics, and discuss theorists similar to Erikson theory of development.
Generativity vs. Stagnation and Ego Integrity vs. Despair Similarities
Generativity and ego integrity are similar in that they both are unselfish, they accept their life and their past accomplishments, and they do not have regrets about their past. Generativity vs stagnation is the seventh stage of Erik Erikson s theory of psychosocial development that occurs amid the middle adulthood between the periods of roughly 40 and 60 (Cherry, 2017). During this stage, the person’s primary concerns are vocation and family. They fear being inert and meaningless. Generativity alludes to making your mark on the world through caring for others and in addition making and achieving things that make the world a better place (Cherry, 2017). Individuals in this stage feel happy by having a positive outcome and building a decent inheritance or helping other people through their own crisis. During middle adulthood, working with future generations occurs and is resolved by either generativity, which is a concern for the next generation, or stagnation. Ego integrity vs despair is the eighth and final phase of Erikson psychosocial development. Ego integrity is the acceptance of one s one and only life cycle as something that had to be and later as a sense of coherence and wholeness (Westerhof, Bohlmeijer, McAdams, 2017). Late life is therefore characterized by both integrity and despair as alternating states that need to be balanced. This is retirement age. It is during this time we examine our achievements and can create honesty in the event that we consider ourselves to be having a successful life. They develop feelings of contentment and integrity if they believe that they have led a happy, productive life. On the other hand, people who are unsuccessful in this stage experience despair or disgust.
Stagnation and despair is similar because they are more concerned about themselves, their needs and lack of accomplishments. Stagnation involves the lack of productivity, boredom, and interpersonal impoverishment. Stagnation is a self-indulgence, self- absorption and a preoccupation with one s own needs lead to a sense of stagnation. Despair is when an individual looks back on their life, their regrets, dissatisfaction, and disappointment about their life and accomplishments.
Generativity vs. Stagnation and Ego Integrity vs. Despair Differences
Generativity and ego integrity is different from stagnation and despair. Stagnation involves a lack of involvement with young people and they are more concerned about themselves. Stagnation refers to the inability to figure out how to contribute. These people may feel separated or uninvolved with their group and with society overall (Cherry, 2017). Generativity is concerned with reaching out to others in ways to give to and guide the next generation. Individuals who have positive associations with others, great quality well-being and a feeling of control over their lives will feel more productive and fulfilled experience generativity. The individuals who experience poor health, poor relationships and feel that they have no power over their destiny will probably encounter sentiments of stagnation (Cherry, 2017).
Ego integrity is when a person review their life and have a strong sense of self-acceptance and meaningfulness in his or her accomplishments. Despair is when people look back on their life and experience regret, dissatisfaction, and disappointment about his or her accomplishments. Ego integrity is achieved through a process of reminiscence about one s past that contributes to wisdom and death acceptance (Westerhof, Bohlmeijer, McAdams, 2017). They will find it easier to accommodate both positive and negative life events into their view of themselves and experience more ego integrity. Despair is characterized by feelings of regret and failure (Westerhof, Bohlmeijer, McAdams, 2017). Late life brings reasons for experiencing despair such as aspects of the past, present, and future that are difficult to integrate into a meaningful whole. If we see our life as unproductive, or feel that we did not accomplish our life goals, we become dissatisfied with life and develop despair, often leading to depression and hopelessness.
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