Summary Chart*Introduction to Stages*Biography*Critiques& Controversies*References & OtherLinks
| Erik Erikson's 8 Stages of PsychosocialDevelopment
Age:Middle adulthood -- 40 to 65 years
Conflict: Generativity vs. Stagnation
Important Event: Parenting
Description:
In this stage generativity refers to the adult's ability to care for anotherperson. The most important event in this stage is parenting. Does the adult havethe ability to care and guide the next generation? Generativity has a broadermeaning then just having children. Each adult must have some way to satisfy andsupport the next generation. According to Erikson, "A person does best atthis time to put aside thoughts of death and balance its certainty with the onlyhappiness that is lasting: to increase, by whatever is yours to give, the goodwill and higher order in your sector of the world"(Erikson, 1974).
Elements for a positive outcome:
To have and nurture children and/or become involved with future generations.
Elements for a negative outcome:
An individual must deal with issues they are concerned with or it can leadto stagnation in later life.
Examples:
In this stage an adult will be concerned with issues such as: the future ofthe environment, what kind of world will we leave the next generation, equalityfor all people, etc.
Erikson's Stage 8 | Summary Chart |
Introduction to Stages | Erikson home page |
FAQs
Stage 7: Generativity vs. Stagnation
Adults need to create or nurture things that will outlast them, often by having children or creating a positive change that benefits other people. Success leads to feelings of usefulness and accomplishment, while failure results in shallow involvement in the world.
What is the seventh stage of Erikson's life span? ›
Generativity vs. stagnation is the seventh stage of Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development. This stage occurs during middle adulthood, between the approximate ages of 40 and 65.1 It comes before the eighth and final stage of development in Erikson's theory, which is integrity vs. despair.
What is the developmental task of Erik Erikson's seventh stage? ›
Summary of Erikson's stages
Stage | Conflict | Desired outcome |
---|
6 | intimacy vs. isolation | safe relationships filled with commitment and love |
7 | generativity vs. stagnation | the desire to give to family and community, and to succeed at work |
8 | integrity vs. despair | pride in what you've achieved leads to feelings of satisfaction |
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What is an example of generativity vs stagnation? ›
Generativity examples can include caring and showing your kids about life and guiding them through situations, people who volunteer in community work, environmental activism, or sports involvement. Examples of stagnation include maintaining great distance from others and refusing to lend aid to neighbors.
What is the 7th stage of the child development proposed by Erick Erickson? ›
7. Generativity vs. Stagnation. Also called generativity versus self-absorption, the seventh stage in Erikson's psychosocial development theory occurs during the ages of 40-65.
What is the term generativity as described in Erikson's seventh stage? ›
Description: In this stage generativity refers to the adult's ability to care for anotherperson. The most important event in this stage is parenting. Does the adult havethe ability to care and guide the next generation?
What is the seventh stage of life? ›
The seventh and final stage is extreme old age or a second childhood. Like babies very old men are dependent on others and have no teeth. The old man loses his memory, hearing and control of his senses before dying.
What is Stage 7 generativity vs stagnation virtue? ›
The basic virtue associated with the generativity vs stagnation stage is care, which Erikson defines as a sense of concern for others and a desire to contribute to their well-being (Orenstein & Lewis, 2021).
What is an example of initiative vs guilt? ›
An example of an activity that helps establish initiative vs. guilt is a child initiating a game. Being able to choose and carry out the game gives a kid a sense of initiative and helps them to feel more confident and secure in their abilities.
What is an example of Erikson's theory in real life? ›
REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES OF ERIKSON THEORY AT WORK
And integrity is the key to trust. If your company claims to be green and to love the environment, for example, but your employees know you secretly dump waste into the ocean, they question your integrity. And that means they can't really trust you.
Generativity versus stagnation is the seventh of eight stages of Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development. This stage takes place during during middle adulthood (ages 40 to 65 yrs).
What is an example of autonomy vs shame and doubt? ›
Autonomy vs. shame and doubt is a developmental stage for toddlers. An example of this is when parents do everything for the toddler, so the toddler grows up to be a doubtful adult. The adult will then have low self-esteem.
What are examples of stagnation? ›
Stagnation occurs within an economy when total output is either declining, flat, or growing slowly. Persistent unemployment, flat job growth, no wage increases, and an absence of stock market booms or highs are evidence of stagnation.
What is the seventh stage of Erikson's psychosocial theory? ›
Generativity versus stagnation is the seventh stage of psychosocial development according to Erik Erikson. In this stage, adults strive to create or nurture things, often through parenting, contributing to the community, or some other positive change.
What is the stagnation phase? ›
stagnation is a concept introduced by psychologist Erik Erikson as part of his psychosocial development theory. 1 It represents the seventh stage of psychosocial development, occurring during middle adulthood, typically between the ages of 40 and 65.
What is an example of identity vs role confusion? ›
What is an example of identity versus role confusion? An example of identity is a teenager who has adopted the identity of a gardener after exploring gardening interests. An example of role confusion is a teenager who has not committed to any particular identity and feels confused about their place in society.
What is an example of industry vs inferiority? ›
For example, being praised by your art teacher for the quality of artwork you create is a scenario that promote the feeling of industry. If a child fails to develop a sense of industry, they will feel a sense of inferiority in relation to his peers who have mastered this task.