Erikson's 8 stages of psychosocial development

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Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erikson%27s_stages_of_psychosocial_development

Here's something that I would have scoffed at years ago, when I thought I knew myself. I don't know how accurate these stages are, but I have no doubt that there are common psycho-emotional stages that people go through in life, and so it is an interesting topic.

One thing I noticed is that, during the 11-18 "adolescent" stage I never once wondered "Who am I? Where am I going in life?". I knew exactly who I was and where I was going. I also thought very highly of myself. I think that changes in modern life may have drastically shifted these periods with respect to age. It is very easy to put off these questions while in college.

Since I have graduated, though, my sense of self has just gotten fuzzier and fuzzier. Sometimes I hardly know who I am anymore, or what I want.

It would be interesting to hear from other people what major emotional stages they have gone through in their lives.

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stuh

Quote:

Since I have graduated, though, my sense of self has just gotten fuzzier and fuzzier. Sometimes I hardly know who I am anymore, or what I want.

Take a look at the writings of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky on "the committee nature of self".

Quote:

The problem with Erikson or anybody else who advocates "stages" is that they assume an integrated "self" when in essence it seems to be a statistical conglomeration of diverse elements.

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fresco,

You know, I don't usually agree with you, but that is really an interesting perspective that has never occured to me before. It really seems to explain the human nature well -- the way that we so often commit "self-defeating" behavior, for example. I feel like there are different versions of me, each with its own different opinions...there's, I guess, one version that wins out in my daily life but other weaker, subverted ones flash out here and there and make me wonder what life would be like if I only humored that one.

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stuh,

I followed three directions from this material which was well received amongst "intellectual seekers" of the early 20th century.

In order

1. Read Ouspensky's classic "In Search of the Miraculous" (but ignore the weird cosmology unless you are prepared to do mental gymnastics with Hegelian dialectic).
2. Attend the first semester course in "Practical Philosophy" which is largely based on this material. (I do recommend further attendance as this can for some be "cultish").http://www.practicalphilosophy.org/
3. Read Krishnamurti on self-observation and follow up his conversations with the physicist David Bohm.

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stuh,

I followed three directions from this material which was well received amongst "intellectual seekers" of the early 20th century.

In order

1. Read Ouspensky's classic "In Search of the Miraculous" (but ignore the weird cosmology unless you are prepared to do mental gymnastics with Hegelian dialectic).
2. Attend the first semester course in "Practical Philosophy" which is largely based on this material. (I do not recommend further attendance as this can for some be "cultish").http://www.practicalphilosophy.org/
3. Read Krishnamurti on self-observation and follow up his conversations with the physicist David Bohm.

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(a2k refused the re-edit. Please note the "NOT" in "I do not recommend..."
in the second version.)

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I've learnt about this when studying psychology at university (within my studies for social works).

I suppose, all my other studies and related works were more or less based on this model.

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Re: Erikson's 8 stages of psychosocial development

stuh505 wrote:

Sometimes I hardly know who I am anymore, or what I want.

That makes me wonder why you still pretend to know other people and make harsh comments on them.

Human nature, maybe...but doubting is better than asserting.

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Re: Erikson's 8 stages of psychosocial development

Francis wrote:

stuh505 wrote:
Sometimes I hardly know who I am anymore, or what I want.

That makes me wonder why you still pretend to know other people and make harsh comments on them.

Sometimes it's easier to understand others than yourself. Haven't you ever felt like someone knew what you better than you knew yourself?

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Re: Erikson's 8 stages of psychosocial development

Francis wrote:

stuh505 wrote:
Sometimes I hardly know who I am anymore, or what I want.

That makes me wonder why you still pretend to know other people and make harsh comments on them.

Human nature, maybe...but doubting is better than asserting.

Francis, the last conversation we both participated in I jumped in to defend someone you you were insulting and making fun of for no apparent reason, and then you turned on me and started insulting me for defending that person.

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I'm slap dab in the middle of generativity v stagnation.

It was thrust on me early because of losing my husband the same year my "nest emptied."

I think Erikson nailed reliable stages; although, you know, some people may be variable. I do think if a person does find herself totally outside of the model, they experienced something that took them outside the norm. (Cetainly not a judgment. Their 'outside' may be an improvement on the rest of us slogs.)

Obviously, I made a dramatic choice to generate by returning to school and deciding to use the rest of my life to help disadvantaged children (and my children Very Happy

). When I looked at the model (in my sophomore year, I recognised why I'd done what I had.)

It's saving me.

What's going on with you, stuh? Life stage-wise?

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Lash, why do you say that it is saving you?

As for myself, well...some days I love what I am doing, and other days I just wonder why I am making life so difficult for myself. I've moved to a new state to be in a phd program, it's a lot of work, people here don't think the same way...sometimes I get really tired of feeling like I have to continually prove myself in exams etc when all I really care about is learning. I know that I'm preparing myself for the long term well but at the same time I feel like I'm just missing out on enjoying my youth, yknow?

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stuh wrote:

why do you say that it is saving you?

Long, boring story.

How old are you? What school, if you don't mind? I think what you're doing is great, btw. Maybe you need a semester off or something?

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I'm 23. I don't think a semester off would be good. In fact, after this semester I think things are going to take a serious turn for the better because I'll be able to finally start doing the research that I've been wanting to do for sooo long. I came here with the desire to work with 1 professor only, with no gaurantees...I got him, and he is even cooler than I expected...if all goes well he will be taking me to Australia soon and that will be pretty awesome! Also, I have high hopes for getting a nice high paying job over the summer, in computer vision which is what I'm studying, and I have several friends that work there. Now the only problem is that I haven't seen a woman in many months, and Im too busy to go out trying to meet them, and that is really starting to get to me!

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Re: Erikson's 8 stages of psychosocial development

Foley wrote:

Haven't you ever felt like someone knew what you better than you knew yourself?

Weird..

I never felt that way. I always feel like nobody knows me...

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Re: Erikson's 8 stages of psychosocial development

Francis wrote:

I always feel like nobody knows me...

That's exactly how I feel. Not only that, but I know it's the truth.... Smile

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Stuh - Ah, drats! I shoulda told you I would be on Hillsborough Street on Valentine's. You coulda met me AND watched me get a tattoo with my daughter. You could have seen TWO women! Very Happy

When I studied Psych / child development and took my education courses I was flooded with Erikson's stages, Freuds, as well as many others. Now that I've lived a little more, I agree with the above post regarding life circumstances determining progress through the basic stages described. Perhaps we all go through them with some variation in how long and in what order, but certainly not always as planned.

(I still need to get my tattoo re-touched in a few weeks. Let's see, at 43 I'm in WHAT stage??? Shocked

)

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If someone had only told Erikson the Tattoo Secret.... Laughing

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Ha! I was much more into Maslow. I'm past self-esteem and moving on to Self Actualizing.

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Too bad we can't just choose Maslow and avoid Erikson...

I'm self-actualizing, too. Very Happy

And, generativity isn't bad, either--better than the alternative. Confused

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Erikson's 8 stages of psychosocial development

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