Erik Erikson's Life Cycle Theory

Erik Erikson's Life Cycle Theory describes human development as a series of eight stages, each focusing on a specific psychosocial challenge. At each stage, individuals face a conflict that influences their personality and social relationships, such as trust versus mistrust in infancy or identity versus role confusion in adolescence. Successfully resolving these conflicts helps build a healthy sense of self, while difficulties may lead to challenges later in life. This ongoing process emphasizes that development continues throughout life, with each stage contributing to overall psychological growth and well-being.