Erik Erickson Ego Integrity Vs Despair

448 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Erikson psychosocial stages in real life examples

Erik Erikson was a German-born naturalized American psychologist and psychoanalyst. Erikson developed a psychosocial developmental theory; entailing eight life crisis stages, each with a desired achievement; that a person’s personality develops through their lifespan in regards to how the person is influenced by their social environment (Wilkinson & Treas, 2011). The purpose of this paper is to explain the last stage of Erikson’s theory, ego integrity vs. despair. Erikson explains that when an individual reaches older adulthood (65+ years old), they are faced with the life crisis of ego integrity vs. despair with the desired achievement of wisdom (Berger, 2011). Erikson defines wisdom as “informed and detached concern for life itself in the face of death itself” (Erikson, 1997, p. 61). During this period of life, an older adult seeks to assimilate their unique life experiences with their personal vision of community (Berger, 2011). …show more content…

For example, the individual has a sense of pride, achievement, contribution to society, and “I have done what I came to do” about their life (Berger, 2011). They make peace with the inevitable last task of life, their death. On the other hand, if the individual is experiencing despair while reflecting on their own personal history, they might exhibit or express a heightened fear of death, wish for more time to “finally get it right”, and multiple life choice

Show More
Related

  • “Where I’m From”- Part III: Where I’m Going

    805 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fast forward my future to what psychologist Erik Erikson identifies as the Late Adulthood (55- 65 to Death) stage of life in his Stages of Psychosocial Development. There are two options as one reflects on their lives and they include: Integrity vs. Despair. I hope through the choices I make that I am in the Integrity department of happiness and content, feeling a sense of fulfillment and meaning and that I have made a contribution to life. Of course, there may be disappointments in life and we don’t know what the future holds and although I am nervous and anxious of where I will be in the next three months and in the next thirty years, I am also optimistic and excited to see what the future has in store for me.

    Read More

  • Breaking Away Reflection

    1802 Words  | 4 Pages

    On a more refined level of Erikson’s theories, James Marcia’s four levels of ego identity are observed. The four stages are; Identity confusion, when there is not crisis or active commitments; foreclosure, still no crisis but starting to form beliefs, goals and values; moratorium, active crisis and actively trying to seek a way to resolve crisis, and finally, identity achievement; one has gone through and resolved crisis, and now has firm beliefs and

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Erikson's Integrity Vs. Despair

    1347 Words  | 3 Pages

    This paper explores the need of adding Reminiscence Therapy to the National Joint Commission’s list of safety goals for long term care facilities. It links scientific research of psychologist Erik Erikson’s ‘Integrity vs. Despair’ theory as relative to the new goal. It examines research conducted by psychologist Jonathan Gerson in relation to the benefits of Reminiscence therapy in preventing feelings of despair in elderly patients showing its relationship to safety. National Awareness of Mental Illness facts are included to show the correlation of despair (that leads to depression) which in turn creates a plethora of safety risk factors that could potentially lead to significant patient injury. The discussion will also include the

    Read More

  • Erick Erickson's Impact on Developmental Psychology

    2491 Words  | 5 Pages

    In Erickson’s psychosocial stage theory, one of the main components he focused on is the development of the ego identity. Ego can be defined as the conscious sense of self that is developed through interaction. According to Erickson, our ego is constantly changing due to the new and different interactions that we have on a daily basis. We can either hinder or strengthen our ego identity by the interactions we experience. Erickson believed that a hindered ego or an ego that isn’t developed can lead to a person feeling an inadequacy as well as losing the meaning of life. However, if a person’s ego is strengthened and mastered a person will feel accomplished as well as the sense of belonging. This feeling can also be referred to as the ego strength or ego quality. During the times of ego identity, the person’s potential of growth is high, however, the potential of failure is also present.

    Read More

  • Erikson's Psychosocial Stages and Adopted Children

    1280 Words  | 3 Pages

    Integrity vs. despair is Erikson's eighth and final stage in development, which occurs in Old Age. Older adults look back on their lives and evaluate the outcomes. Those who view their life as productive and satisfying feel a sense of integrity. Those who do not see their life as productive will feel disappointed causing despair.

    Read More

  • The Negative Views Of The Communication Predicament Model Of Aging

    1948 Words  | 4 Pages

    Everyone will grow old, as the aging process of the human body is inevitable. However, each day in our life can bring on new adventures, new friends, and knowledge of the world a round us. Yet, many people have negative views towards those who are considered older adults and thus, have a negative belief on the aging process as a whole. Throughout the quarter, COMM 119 has taught us why there is this negative stigma around the aging process and specially, on older adults as a group. This paper will address my stereotypical views of the aging process before COMM 119, the effect of improperly discussing death and dying, as well as what it means to be a successful ager. Understanding these topics have helped me realize that my viewpoints of elder

    Read More

  • Erikson's Stages Of Psychosocial Development: Critical Analysis

    720 Words  | 2 Pages

    As I grow older, I will attempt to create a life that I can look back on and think, “That was a life worth living.” Recently, my boyfriend’s grandfather passed away. He knew that his last day was near, but he kept saying that he was not sad, for he had lived a long full life (Matthew Morel, personal communication, February 2016). Contrarily, my grandmother, who is still living today, is obviously in a state of

    Read More

  • Human Behavior and the Social Environment: A Look at Three Theories

    1296 Words  | 3 Pages

    The main tenant of the psychosocial development theory throughout the life cycle is that an individual’s personality is held to unfold over the course of their life, with healthy development based on the ability of the individual to master tasks and skills at each level or stage of life (Coady & Lehman, 2008; Hutchison, 2008). Erikson’s original model sectioned the life span into eight levels with each containing its own unique psychosocial challenge or conflict which, depending on the outcome, would help the individual experience positive growth (Coady & Lehman, 2008; (Hooyman & Kiyak, 2005/2011; Hutchison, 2008). The eighth stage encompasses late adulthood, where the conflict experienced is that of integrity versus despair. If an individual has experienced successful o...

    Read More

  • Eric Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development

    1431 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...r past with little or no regrets and will be satisfied overall. If a person is unsuccessful in this phase they will feel that they wasted their life and they will only think of regrets. They will feel despair (Cherry, 2011).

    Read More

  • Late Adulthood Essay

    706 Words  | 2 Pages

    When elderly people move into the last of life’s eight stages of psychosocial development, they enter the ego-integrity-versus-despair stage. This process is defined by looking back over someone’s life, evaluating it, then accepting it. People who become successful in this stage feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Erikson refers to this acceptance as integrity. This differs from generativity because one is accepting the end of their life, instead of accepting where their life will start in a sense of career and self. However, if one is to look back on their life with dissatisfaction, they may feel they have been cheated or missed opportunities. Such individuals will mostly be depressed or angry about the way life turned out and

    Read More

  • Erik Erickson: My Personality Theory

    1611 Words  | 4 Pages

    Everyone is unique and not every person needs to successfully master each level to gain a previous ego skill in a future stage of life. Erik Erikson’s theory is derived from primarily an environmental influence. There is data or analysis conducted that offers insight to biological factors that could alter the stages during psychosocial development. While the environment has a strong influence over human being’s development, I believe our genetic makeup can sometimes be enough to overcome previously failed stages. An example would be a person who was raised in a poor environment, only to rise above the pain and suffering to become successful in all stages of life. I also like to think of myself as a good candidate for somebody that failed earlier stages of psychosocial development, only to gain previously lost ego skills in future stages of

    Read More

  • Theories And Differences Of Erik Erikson And Jean Piaget

    1072 Words  | 3 Pages

    Erik Erikson developed eight stages of psychosocial development (Gordon & Browne, 2014). Each stage was characterized by an emotional challenge and the stages built upon previous experiences (Gordon & Browne, 2014). His stages of development gave us the term identity crisis which describes

    Read More

  • Erik Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development

    938 Words  | 2 Pages

    Psychoanalyst Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development explains how the human identity develops and evolves in eight stages from birth to death. Each one occurs in a predetermined order; the current stage builds upon the previous one and lays the groundwork for future stages (Wikimedia). Each stage has a specific “crisis” or conflict, a turning point in the individual’s life which must be reconciled before moving on to the next. If the conflict is handled well, the individual gains “ego strength” in the form of a corresponding virtue. If the conflict is handled poorly, the individual not only fails to develop that virtue, but his/her ability to complete later stages is hindered resulting in diminished “ego quality” or psychosocial health (Erikson, 188-225).

    Read More

  • Strengths And Weaknesses Of Erikson's Theory

    747 Words  | 2 Pages

    Erik Erikson was influenced by Freud and his concept of the ego. Erikson observed the impact of external factors on personality from not just childhood, but throughout the entire lifetime. He developed eight stages, which are split into different age brackets. As an individual passes through these stages, they must successfully complete the crisis to move forward onto the next one.

    Read More

  • Erik Erikson’s Eight Stages of Development

    1167 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Erik Erikson’s theory he explains that in every stage, a positive or a negative attitude is developed within an individual. During our developing stages we are either successful or we fail. Each stage will come to us whether or not we’re ready for them or not. You can think of the stages as learning stages where crisis occur .Only if we have learned from the previous crisis we are successful. You cannot avoid 1 stage and move to a next stage because of the developing process. The outcome of our lives depends on the way we chose to progress throughout each stage in life. Erikson had his own way in describing each stage in life that we all must go through.

    Read More

More about Erik Erickson Ego Integrity Vs Despair

Open Document