fei75766_ch07_206-241.indd 217  02/06/20 11:52 AM
Chapter 7    Erikson: Post-Freudian Theory217
Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt
Ifearly childhood isatimeforself-expression andautonomy, thenitisalsoatimefor
shame and doubt. Aschildren stubbornly express theiranal–urethral–muscular mode, 
theyarelikely tofindaculture thatattempts toinhibit some oftheirself-expression. 
Parents mayshame theirchildren forsoiling theirpants orformaking amess with
theirfood. They mayalsoinstill doubt byquestioning theirchildren’s ability tomeet 
theirstandards. Theconflict between autonomy andshame anddoubt becomes the
major psychosocial crisis ofearly childhood.
Ideally, children should develop aproper ratiobetween autonomy andshame 
anddoubt, andtheratioshould beinfavor ofautonomy, thesyntonic quality ofearly 
childhood. Children whodevelop toolittleautonomy willhavedifficulties insubse -
quent stages, lacking thebasic strengths oflaterstages.
According toErikson’s epigenetic diagrams (seeFigures 7.1and7.2),auton -
omygrows outofbasic trust; andifbasic trusthasbeen established ininfancy, then
children learn tohavefaithinthemselves, andtheirworld remains intact while they
experience amildpsychosocial crisis. Conversely, ifchildren donotdevelop basic 
trustduring infancy, thentheirattempts togaincontrol oftheiranal, urethral, and
muscular organs during early childhood willbemetwithastrong sense ofshame and
doubt, setting upaserious psychosocial crisis. Shame isafeeling ofself-consciousness, 
ofbeing looked atandexposed. Doubt, ontheother hand, isthefeeling ofnotbeing 
certain, thefeeling thatsomething remains hidden andcannot beseen. Both shame 
anddoubt aredystonic qualities, andbothgrow outofthebasic mistrust thatwas
established ininfancy.
Will: The Basic Strength of Early Childhood
Thebasic strength ofwillorwillfulness evolves from theresolution ofthecrisis ofauton -
omyversus shame anddoubt. Thisstepisthebeginning offreewillandwillpower—but 
onlyabeginning. Mature willpower andasignificant measure offreewillarereserved 
forlaterstages ofdevelopment, buttheyoriginate intherudimentary willthatemerges 
during early childhood. Anyone whohasspent much timearound 2-year-olds knows 
howwillful theycanbe.Toilet training often epitomizes theconflict ofwillsbetween 
adult andchild, butwillful expression isnotlimited tothisarea. Thebasic conflict 
during early childhood isbetween thechild’s striving forautonomy andtheparent’s 
attempts tocontrol thechild through theuseofshame anddoubt.
Children develop willonlywhen theirenvironment allows them some self-
expression intheircontrol ofsphincters andother muscles. When theirexperiences 
result intoomuch shame anddoubt, children donotadequately develop thissecond 
important basic strength. Inadequate willisexpressed ascompulsion, thecorepathol -
ogyofearly childhood. Toolittlewillandtoomuch compulsivity carry forward into
theplayageaslackofpurpose andintotheschool ageaslackofconfidence.
Play Age
Erikson’s third stage ofdevelopment istheplay age, aperiod covering thesame time
asFreud’s phallic phase—roughly ages3–5.Again, differences emerge between the
views ofFreud andErikson. Whereas Freud placed theOedipus complex atthecore
ofthephallic stage, Erikson believed thattheOedipus complex isbutoneofseveral Final PDF to printer