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First Stage: Trust vs. Mistrust
Liam (age 8 months) was terrified when his first hail storm hit in the middle of the night. He screamed and cried, and was immediately comforted by his mother, who held him and fed him a bottle while hail pelted the roof.
Liam is soothed and his needs are promptly met when he is upset. He comes to trust that things will work out and that the world will provide what he needs. If he hadn't been comforted, he might have developed a mistrust for the world and for others. -
Third Stage: Initiative vs. Guilt
Liam (age 4) played with 2 neighborhood friends in his backyard. He decided he wanted to be in charge of the construction of a make-believe tree house. He rallied his friends to help him and successfully integrated his friends' ideas for the tree house into his plans. Liam is capable of initiating play, and he will develop initiative and a sense of purpose if he is successful. If he is not successful, or if his plans are discouraged by his friends, he might develop a sense of guilt. -
Seventh Stage: Generativity vs. Stagnation
Liam (age 45) arrived back home after parent-teacher conferences at the school his 2 children attend. He picked up some sports equipment and his daughter to take her to soccer practice, where he was a coach.
Liam is working hard to contribute to the next generation in mid-life. He is doing what he can to help his children succeed academically and to develop team-building and cooperation skills. If he were to focus on himself instead, he would be self-absorbed and would stagnate.