Stages of the Human Life Cycle

Human beings develop through periods of life that can be classified as stages. These stages are used by psychologists and scientists to determine physical, emotional and psychological characteristics for each aspect of life.

  1. Erik Erikson

    • Erik Erikson was a 20th century German psychologist who influenced the world of psychology and psychoanalysis. One of Erikson̵7;s accomplishments was defining eight psychosocial stages of development in life. His theory would be the most influential train of thought for determining the human life cycle.

    Life Stages

    • The eight stages of Erikson̵7;s model are infant, toddler, preschooler, school-aged child, adolescent, young adult, middle-aged adult and older adult. There are other models for the human life cycle that have less than the eight stages as defined by Erikson.

    Resolution

    • According to Erikson, people have to complete each stage of life before they can successfully move on to the next phase. Whenever an individual does not complete a particular stage, unresolved issues may occur later in life.

    Theory

    • Erikson's theory about child development focuses on the social aspects of growth. Erikson places the emphasis on stages of growth in a certain order and his theory emphasizes the social aspect as opposed to the cognitive development process.

    Conclusion

    • Erikson̵7;s theory is very useful for teaching people about self-awareness and improvement. His work helps psychologists and psychiatrists to treat their patients effectively.

    2. Previous:

    Next: