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Stage 4 - Early School Years - Industry versus Inferiority
Age 10 - Starts to take tennis lessons and finally finds a sport in which I feel good at and my confidence in my athletic ability increases. This leads to participating in this sport until I became 19 years old, which allowed me to continue a lifelong love of being outside and being healthy. In Erikson's 4th stage, industry versus inferiority, a child either learns competence or modesty. Either a child feels accomplished or unaccomplished is a key component of this crisis stage. -
Stage 6 - Intimacy vs. Isolation
Age 30 - Married my college sweetheart. After dating on and off for 22 years, my husband and I decided we wanted to form a family and make a greater commitment to each other by getting legally married. In Erikson's 6th stage, intimacy versus isolation, where either the decision to form intimate, long-term relationships or not occurs. Deciding not to form these relationships at this stage, Erikson claims, will lead to isolation and loneliness. -
Stage 7 - Generativity versus stagnation
Age 45 - I decide to quit my job as a fisheries biologist for the State of Alaska after 14 years due to not feeling like I have accomplished much during my time there. I am, instead, pursuing nursing. In Erikson's 7th stage, generativity versus stagnation, an individual comes to a point in their lives where they may feel as though they are contributing something positive to the world. If not, they feel stagnant and unproductive leading to sadness in their lives.