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Chapter 7    Erikson: Post-Freudian Theory227
Wisdom
Care
Love
Fidelity
Competence
Purpose
Will
HopeDisdain
Rejectivity
Exclusivity
Rolerepudiation
Inertia
Inhibition
Compulsion
WithdrawalTABLE 7.1
Summary of Erikson’s Eight Stages of the Life Cycle
 Psychosocial  Basic  Core  
Stage  Crisis  Strength  Pathology
8
Oldage
7
Adulthood
6
Young 
adulthood
5
Adolescence
4
School age
3
Playage
2
Early childhood
1
InfancyIntegrity vs.
despair
Generativity vs.
stagnation
Intimacy vs.
isolation
Identity vs.
identity 
confusion
Industry vs.
inferiority
Initiative vs.
guilt
Autonomy vs.
shame, doubt
Basic trustvs.
basic mistrust
 
Erikson’s Methods of Investigation
Erikson insisted thatpersonality isaproduct ofhistory, culture, andbiology; and
hisdiverse methods ofinvestigation reflect thisbelief. Heemployed anthropologi -
cal,historical, sociological, andclinical methods tolearn about children, adolescents, 
mature adults, andelderly people. Hestudied middle-class Americans, European chil-
dren, people oftheSioux andYurok nations ofNorth America, andevensailors on
asubmarine. Hewrote biographical portraits ofAdolf Hitler, Maxim Gorky, Martin 
Luther, andMohandas K.Gandhi, among others. Inthissection, wepresent two
approaches Erikson usedtoexplain anddescribe human personality—anthropological 
studies andpsychohistory.
Anthropological Studies
In1937, Erikson made afieldtriptothePineRidge Indian Reservation inSouth 
Dakota toinvestigate thecauses ofapathy among Sioux children. Erikson (1963) 
reported onearly Sioux training interms ofhisnewly evolving theories ofpsycho -
sexual andpsychosocial development. Hefound thatapathy wasanexpression of
anextreme dependency theSioux haddeveloped asaresult oftheirreliance onvari-
ousfederal government programs. Atonetime, theyhadbeen courageous buffalo Final PDF to printer