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Emmas identity versus identity confusion
Once Emma (15) reached high school, she joined the cheer team and started to form friendships with different people than in middle school. While she forms these friendships she starts dabbling in parties and hanging out with boys. However, she realizes that isn't something she likes to do, and she decided to sway away from that friend group and form her own identity. In Erikson's 5th stage Identity versus identity confusion, one must develop an awareness of who they are. -
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Emmas intimacy verus isolation
While going to college, Emma meets Dan and falls deeply in love with him. They continue to date throughout college and once she graduates he proposes to her and Emma says yes. In the 6th stage of Erikson's theory, one must choose to either enter a committed relationship or are unable to get into a committed relationship and are isolated. In this stage, Emma becomes vulnerable in her identity and has to merge with Dan's identity. -
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Emmas generativity versus stagnation
A few years after college, Emma and her husband find out they are having a baby. Once they have the baby, Emma's main concern in life is to take care of their baby and worry about its well-being. In Erikson's 7th stage, generativity versus stagnation, either you are worried about your next generation and provide care for them (generativity) or you only focus on your own needs (stagnation).