Intimacy Vs. Isolation In David Erikson's Eight Ages Of Man

705 Words2 Pages

Intimacy vs. Isolation The feeling of being alone, unloved, and isolated is a feeling that a plethora of young adults experience. The majority of these individuals are dismayed by their sense of isolation and are discouraged by the unavailability of a solution. However, the solution they seek can be explained through psychology. In an article by David Elkind, “Erik Erikson's Eight Ages of Man,” it is stated that individuals ranging from young adults to middle age are subjected to Erikson's stage of intimacy vs. isolation. Famous for his eight stages of development, Erikson's teachings give insight into the phycology behind the developmental stages individuals experience. Throughout this paper, we will analyze and define Erikson's stage of Intimacy vs. isolation, in addition to, demonstrating the stage through a real world concrete example. As the identity vs. role confusion stage transitions into the intimacy vs. isolation stage, the attainment of personal identity during earlier stages begin to …show more content…

Although melancholy, his story provided a clear perspective on the isolation extreme of the intimacy vs. isolation stage. In addition, it demonstrates how earlier stages, such as, the identity vs. role confusion stage influence later stages. For example, when he was younger he was confused about who he was and where he belonged. Even though he was able to gain his own sense of personal identity, his role confusion likely contributed to his feeling of isolation as a young adult. In conclusion, as individuals develop their success in previous developmental stages may influence the success in the next stage. However, it is important to note that even though the success of one stage may influence the next, it does not entirely dictate the rest of an individuals

Open Document