Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development

Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development is a stage-based theory developed by Erik Erikson in the 1950s that explains how personality develops through eight stages from infancy to old age. Each stage centers on a key social-emotional conflict, and resolving that conflict supports healthy development and strengthens a core virtue, such as hope, purpose, or wisdom. Ongoing difficulty resolving a stage’s conflict can create challenges that affect later development and relationships.