fei75766_ch07_206-241.indd 238  02/06/20 11:52 AM
Part II    Psychodynamic Theories238
it more difficult to acquire basic strengths later on, people remain capable of 
changing at any stage of life. Each psychosocial conflict consists of a syntonic 
and a dystonic quality. Each crisis can be resolved in favor of the syntonic, or 
harmonious element, regardless of past resolutions.
Erikson did not specifically address the issue of causality versus teleol -
ogy, but his view of humanity suggests that people are influenced more by 
biological and social forces than by their view of the future. People are a prod -
uct of a particular historical moment and a specific social setting. Although 
we can set goals and actively strive to achieve these goals, we cannot com -
pletely escape the powerful causal forces of anatomy, history, and culture. 
For this reason, we rate Erikson high on causality.
On the fourth dimension, conscious versus unconscious determinants,  
Erikson’s position is mixed. Prior to adolescence, personality is largely shaped 
by unconscious motivation. Psychosexual and psychosocial conflicts during the 
first four developmental stages occur before children have firmly established their 
identity. We seldom are clearly aware of these crises and the ways in which they 
mold our personalities. From adolescence forward, however, people ordinarily are 
aware of their actions and most of the reasons underlying those actions.
Erikson’s theory, of course, is more social  than biological, although it does 
not overlook anatomy and other physiological factors in personality develop -
ment. Each psychosexual mode has a clear biological component. However, 
as people advance through the eight stages, social influences become increas -
ingly more powerful. Also, the radius of social relations expands from the single 
maternal person to a global identification with all humanity.
The sixth dimension for a concept of humanity is uniqueness versus 
similarities.  Erikson tended to place more emphasis on individual differ -
ences than on universal characteristics. Although people in different cultures 
advance through the eight developmental stages in the same order, myriad 
differences are found in the pace of that journey. Each person resolves psy -
chosocial crises in a unique manner, and each uses the basic strengths in a 
way that is peculiarly theirs.
Key Terms and Concepts
•Erikson’s stages ofdevelopment restonanepigenetic principle, meaning 
thateachcomponent proceeds inastep-by-step fashion withlatergrowth 
building onearlier development.
•During every stage, people experience aninteraction ofopposing syntonic 
anddystonic attitudes, which leads toaconflict, orpsychosocial crisis.
•Resolution ofthiscrisis produces abasic strength andenables aperson to
move tothenextstage.
•Biological components layaground planforeachindividual, buta
multiplicity ofhistorical andcultural events alsoshapes ego identity.Final PDF to printer