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Initiative vs Guilt
Sophie (age 4) sees her mother painting a Christmas tree. Sophie has never painted before and asks if she can paint a Christmas tree too. Her mother gives her permission to do so and even teaches Sophie how to mix colors. In Erikson's third stage, children want to learn new things and accomplish activities on their own (initiative) but once that initiative is put down, they feel guilty and never want to try it again (Guilt). Instead of being discouraged, Sophie was allowed to try something new. -
Identity vs Role Confusion
Sophie (now 13) decides she wants to be a singer when she grows up. She acts like a diva and dresses like one as well. Her parents and teachers know she's a smart girl and expect her to have better life goals such as being as being a doctor. Sophie wants to make her parents proud but also wants to follow her dreams. This is Erikson's fifth stage where adolescents explore themselves (identity) but once discouraged, they feel lost about who they are (role confusion). -
Intimacy vs Isolation
Sophie used to be outgoing but now she keeps to herself. She spends her time painting alone instead of interacting. A boy named Joshua likes to paint as well and they became close friends. They eventually started dating. In the sixth stage of Erikson's theory, it explains the difference between having close relationships with others and being by yourself. In this case, Sophie was going through the isolation process and was able to get out of it when she began having a relationship with Joshua.
