ERİK ERİKSON

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2 Mar 2024

Erik Erikson is a thinker known as a psychologist and psychoanalyst . He was known for his studies on human psychology and development throughout his life. Erikson came to the fore especially with his theory of psychosocial development .

Erik Erikson was born on June 15, 1902 in Frankfurt, Germany. His parents were of Scandinavian descent. He lived in various parts of Europe with his family during his childhood. Erikson's education was guided by some of the important philosophers in Europe.
Erikson studied psychology and psychoanalysis and made a career in this field. He is especially known for his work on the development of children and young people. Erikson worked as a lecturer at many important universities and educated many students in the process.
Erikson came to the fore especially with his theory of psychosocial development . According to this theory, people go through various stages throughout their lives, and the experiences they encounter in these stages shape their personalities. Each stage requires the person to solve a specific problem in their life.

Erik Erikson is a thinker known as a psychologist and psychoanalyst .
He is known for his theory of psychosocial development.
People go through various stages throughout their lives, and the experiences they encounter in these stages shape their personalities.

Early Life and Education

Erik Erikson was born on June 15, 1902 in Germany. His father was Danish and his mother was from a Russian family of Jewish origin. After Erikson's birth, his family moved to Denmark, where Erikson largely grew up.

Erikson began his education in Denmark. However, he later moved to Italy and started studying art there. Later, he participated in psychoanalysis studies in Vienna and met psychoanalysts. After completing his studies in Vienna, Erikson moved to the United States where he continued his studies in psychology.

Erikson's exposure to and experiences with different cultures in various countries throughout his education contributed greatly to his development and subsequent work. In addition, the experiences he gained during his art education were reflected in his future psychology studies.

This early life period laid an important foundation for the formation of Erikson's personality and his theory of psychological development, which was the focus of his later work.

Personal Life and Academic Career

Erik Erikson's  personal life  is quite colorful and interesting. Born in Denmark in 1902, Erikson moved frequently between countries due to his father's work in Germany. Therefore, it was possible for Erikson to interact with different cultures throughout his life and benefit from these experiences.

In the early 1920s, Erikson began working in Freud's circle in Vienna. Later, he immigrated to the USA and worked as a lecturer at various universities . Erikson taught at Harvard University for many years  and  published many important books and articles in the field of psychology.

It is known that Erikson took part in important projects throughout his academic career. These include managing a clinical organization providing psychiatric counseling services in California and   preparing a world education program for UNESCO. Throughout Erikson's academic career, he was particularly known for his work on child and adolescent development.

Psychosocial Development Theory

Psychosocial development theory is one of Erik Erikson's most important contributions. This theory focuses on different periods in people's lives and the psychological processes experienced during these periods. Erikson argues that people encounter various crises in their lives and strive to solve these crises. Psychosocial development theory describes eight different processes that individuals experience throughout the life cycle and identifies key stages for the resolution of these processes.

These eight processes are as follows:

Period Key Crisis Key Success
1. Period of Confidence and HappinessTrust vs. DoubtTrust
2. Autonomy PeriodCompatibility etc. ShynessAutonomy
3. Entrepreneurship PeriodInitiative vs. Guiltentrepreneurship
4. Skill PeriodSkill vs. Feeling of InferioritySkill
5. Identity PeriodID etc. Identity ConfusionIdentity
6. Period of IntimacyProximity vs. InsulationProximity
7. Productivity EraProductivity vs. RecessionProductivity
8. Period of TotalityIntegrity vs. DespairIntegrity

The crisis that individuals face in each period is specific to that period, and resolving crises helps the individual maintain balance in the developmental process. According to Erikson, if a crisis is not resolved correctly, a person's mental health may be negatively affected and it may be more difficult to cope with future crises.

Stages of Psychosocial Development

Psychosocial development theory identifies a series of stages starting from childhood and continuing into adulthood. Each of these stages is important for learning, personality development and self-perception.

Confidence and Happiness Period :  This stage covers the period from birth to 18 months. During this period, babies begin to explore the world and trust that their basic needs are met. Parents' showing interest and love to babies helps babies develop a sense of trust.
Autonomy Period :  This period covers the period from 18 months to 3 years of age. During this period, children often say “No!” because they want to gain independence. They use the word. The period of autonomy helps children begin to make their own decisions and begin to empathize.

Entrepreneurship Period :  This period covers the period between the ages of 3 and 6. During this period, children begin to express their thoughts and feelings using their imagination. Parental involvement and encouragement helps children develop social skills.
Skills Period :  This period covers the period between the ages of 6 and 12. During this period, children begin to apply the skills they learn at school. It has been observed that parents help children develop their self-confidence.

Identity Period :  This period covers the period between the ages of 12 and 18. During this period, young people begin to explore their identities and develop an understanding of where to find themselves. Support from parents and teachers can help young people discover their identities.

Intimacy Period :  This period covers the period between the ages of 18 and 40. During this period, people develop close relationships and come together to live an independent life. During this process, friends and family are important.

Productivity Period :  This period covers the period between the ages of 40 and 65. During this period, people set goals such as being successful in their careers, supporting their families, and contributing to society. In this process, family, colleagues and community are important.

Totality Period :  This period covers the period experienced by people aged 65 and over. During this period, people evaluate their lives as a whole and accept themselves based on their experiences. In this process, family and friends are important.

Psychosocial development theory helps individuals cope with crises in different periods and helps them improve themselves. This allows individuals to live happier and healthier lives.

Identity and Youth Years

According to Erikson, adolescence is the period when people shape their identities. Young people begin to ask questions about who they are and where they belong. During this period, relationships with the social environment, friends and family are effective in this search for identity. Erikson thought that how a person responds to environmental factors during this period shapes personality.

Young people's search for identity can create what Erikson calls an identity crisis. The person has difficulty defining himself and cannot create his own identity. This crisis can be an obstacle to developing a sense of wholeness later in life.

Erikson drew attention to the importance of the search for identity during youth. According to him, experiences during this period can have an impact on a person's success and happiness in adulthood. Therefore, it is important to support young people's search for identity and enable them to create a safe identity.

Erikson's Influence in Education and Training

Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development is a tool used to describe the characteristics of developmental tasks and their consequences in different periods of human life. This theory has had a significant impact, especially in the field of education and training.

Erikson's theory helps teachers and educators understand and meet the developmental needs of students. This approach can improve the quality of education by developing learning and teaching strategies according to the developmental processes of students.

Erikson's theory helps teachers better understand the challenges students may face at any age. Using Erikson's theory, teachers can understand their students' identity development and design educational programs to increase their self-confidence.

The Impact of Erikson's Theory on Preschool Education

Erikson's theory is very effective in preschool education. Preschool education is very important to maximize children's development. Erikson's theory provides teachers with a framework for understanding children's developmental processes. This approach provides students with the support they need to maximize their learning.

Using Erikson's theory, teachers can select learning materials and activities that suit children's needs. If children are educated in accordance with Erikson's theory, their self-confidence and freedom will increase. This can help children live happier, more successful and more fulfilling lives.

Erik Erikson's Legacy

The legacy left by Erik Erikson has had an extraordinary impact on the field of psychology and psychoanalysis. His theory of psychosocial development is still popular and important today.
Erikson's theories brought a different perspective to human development. Unlike other theories, Erikson argued that all stages of life are equally important. Therefore, Erikson's theories have an important place in understanding and making sense of human development.
Erikson's  work  has also been influential outside of psychoanalysis. Especially in the field of education and training, Erikson's theories have been adopted by many schools and educational institutions. Erikson's theories form the basis of many methods used in the education of children and youth.

Erikson's  legacy is not limited to his theories. He has also been influential to many in the field of psychoanalysis and psychology. His theories   have had a great influence on the work of other psychoanalysts  and psychologists .

Erikson's  legacy also heralds an important transformation in the field of psychology. His theories showed that social and cultural factors, as well as biological factors, are effective in the development of the individual. Therefore, Erikson changed the traditional framework of psychology and contributed to psychology becoming a more comprehensive field.

Erik Erikson's  legacy shows that his work is just the beginning. Erikson played an important role in the development of psychology and psychoanalysis, and his theories still remain important today.