The Eight Stages of Man

The Eight Stages of Man, developed by Erik Erikson, outline the psychosocial challenges individuals face throughout their lives. Each stage corresponds to a specific age and involves a critical conflict that contributes to personal development. The stages include: trust vs. mistrust (infancy), autonomy vs. shame (early childhood), initiative vs. guilt (preschool), industry vs. inferiority (school age), identity vs. role confusion (adolescence), intimacy vs. isolation (young adulthood), generativity vs. stagnation (middle adulthood), and integrity vs. despair (late adulthood). Successfully navigating these challenges fosters a healthy personality and a sense of fulfillment.