Erikson’s Gift: The Developmental Tasks of Adulthood

Most of us think about childhood as the time when our personality develops and grows. It’s no wonder—a lot does happen in those early years. However, what if I told you that we actually continue to grow and change throughout our lifespan? Or that our continued well-being depends on this growth?

This is exactly what developmental psychologist Erik Erikson told us back in his classic text, Childhood and Society, when he described what he called the “Eight Ages of Man"—eight phases of an individual’s life, each with its own key developmental tasks to be achieved. Miss out on one key task, such as the development of trust during infancy, and you will find yourself lagging behind in each subsequent stage.

Back when Erikson first came out with this theory, it was revolutionary. This was the first truly lifespan theory of development, describing essential phases of growth right up until the end-of-life. And based on what I see and hear both personally and professionally, it still seems like news to many. I have heard people as young as 18 say “it’s all down hill from here,” or “it’s too late for me to change or learn anything new.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Every stage of life brings new lessons to be learned, and new opportunities for growth.

Source: Gerd Altmann/Pixabay

Each phase of Erikson’s theory is described as a crisis, named with a pair of potential outcomes. One leads to further positive development, and the other leads down a potentially more challenging path. The development of trust is paired with mistrust for infancy. In early childhood, “autonomy versus shame and doubt” is the name of the game. Next in line from childhood through adolescence come “initiative versus guilt,” “industry versus inferiority,” and “identity versus role confusion.”

Freud’s theory of development ends at puberty, but Erikson carries us into young adulthood. He tells us that this is a period of learning how to be intimate with others or else becoming increasingly isolated (“intimacy versus inferiority”). Remember, Erikson’s stages build on each other. This means, for instance, a child who has not learned trust, or still struggles with identity, may have more difficulty learning intimacy in young adulthood.

Middle adulthood brings the stage of “generativity versus stagnation.” Generativity means giving back to the world, and in some way guiding or leaving an offering for future generations. For many people, generativity involves having children and passing on our values to the next generation. Yet Erikson was clear that he did not want this phase conflated with parenting. Generativity may also mean helping the next generation through a role as teacher, mentor, or leader. He also described that generativity could occur through creativity or productivity, perhaps by leaving works of art, literature, or even a successful business as our legacy.

Without generativity, we are left to stagnate. We stew in the juices of our personal ambition and keep a narrow focus on our own personal and material gain. In this frame of mind, we enter our final phase of life—“ego integrity versus despair”—a step behind.

Thankfully, it’s never too late to go back and work on the unfinished business from past phases of development. Further, whatever age you are now, there is something new to learn and some new way to stretch and grow. In fact, your future well-being depends on it.