Woolley timeline.

Mike, who is 9 years old. He is receiving lessons on how to remove carpet and install wood flooring from his father. In Erikson’s fourth stage, industry verses inferiority, Mike will develop the sense of industry with his father giving him the encouragement to be excited to learn a new skill. Mike now wants to learn more. If his father did not have patience with him and scolded him for everything he did wrong, then Mike would feel inadequate and then develop the sense of inferiority.

Mike is now 14 years old and wants desperately to participate in school sports, but his mother will not allow him. He is being denied an opportunity to explore his likes or dislikes. This stage of his life is within Erikson’s fifth stage, identity verses identity confusion, being athletic could be part of who he is. Since he will not have that opportunity, he will have a sense of identity confusion and probably wonder if he has any athletic ability.

Mike is 23 years old and is getting married in a week to his girlfriend. He is really excited to start this new adventure in his life. In Erikson’s sixth stage of early adulthood Mike is entering intimacy instead of isolation. He will have someone to spend his life with, share experiences, and possibly start a family. If he was not able to commit to this relationship, he would be alone and be without an intimate relationship.