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Trust vs. Mistrust
John's (27) wife Mary (28) gave birth to their newborn child, Samantha, on November 3rd, 2000. Sadly, Mary died during childbirth. John had been struggling to properly bond with his newborn while also taking care of himself. As months go by, John and his now 15 month old baby are on the right track. Samantha shows signs of trust and loyalty in her father, which are imperative to her future development; as opposed to the lack of bond and stability, and, what comes without it: mistrust. -
Industry vs. Inferiority
Now 11, Samantha comes home from school upset because, at recess, she overhears her teacher tell the P.E. teacher she was terrible at basketball. She tells her father, and he reassures her that sometimes people will be mean, but she shouldn't let it get to her, because her teacher was being unprofessional. Together, Samantha and her father avoid instances like these that could lead to inferiority- and instead agree to always communicate with each other to further instill competence in Samantha. -
Intimacy vs. Isolation
Samantha is now 24 years-old, and, after taking a yoga class, she meets a woman who asks her out for coffee. Instead of saying no- as she's tired and would like to go home- she says yes. This woman later becomes Samantha's wife, with whom she happily marries and has two kids. In saying yes to this invitation, Samantha demonstrates the importance of pursuing romantic relationships in this stage of development. If she were to have said no, she would have missed out on the entire life ahead of her.