By: Kimberly
Swanson, M.S. - Psy, CNA
 |
| Erik Erikson (Developmental Psychologist) |
Erik Erikson was a 20th century psychologist who
developed the theory of psychosocial development and the concept of an identity
crisis.
Erickson was born in June 15, 1902 in Frankfurt,
Germany. Erikson’s mom was Jewish, Karla
Abrahamsen. He never knew his biological
father, who was an unknown Danish man. His mother, Karla, later married a physician,
Dr. Theodor Homberger, who practically raised him. He did not believe that his stepfather was
fully accepting of him like his own biological children.
He did not know until later that his Dr. Homberger
was not his biological father. Once he
found out the truth, this left him feeling confused and filled with mixed
emotions. Knowing this information
helped explained why his did not feel like he fitted in within community while
growing up. While attending a Jewish
school he was constantly teased for being tall, having blue eyes, and his
Nordic appearance. Erickson grew up with his stepfather’s last name; but in
1939, he changed his last name to
Erikson.
According to Sharkey (1997), Erikson did not care
for a formal education so instead he studied the arts after high school. He traveled throughout Europe. Once meeting
Anna Freud in Vienna, He decided to study psychoanalysis, where his studied
child development at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute. He earned a diploma from the institute. He never earned a formal degree but his
gained knowledge through experience and research.
In 1930, Erikson married Joan Serson, who assisted
him in developing his psychosocial development theory. Erikson and his family Fled Nazi’s
invasion and moved into the United States; Erikson and his wife raised their three
children in the United States (Good Therapy,2015).
Professional
Career
When Erikson first lived in Boston, he became the
first male to practice child psychoanalysis.
He also worked at Harvard Medical school (Judge Baker Guidance Center)
and Harvard’s Psychological Clinic.
While at the university, he conducted a longitudinal study on the Sioux
children in South Dakota’s Indian reservation.
Erikson expanded Freud’s theories of five stages of
development. Erickson developed the
study of life cycles which his principles was that individuals goes through
eights phrases of development. His focus
was on the concept that the environment plays a significant role in self-awareness,
adjustment, human development, and identity
(Good Therapy, 2015).
Another contribution that Erikson made in the field
of psychology is the work of further expanding the field of ego psychology with
the emphasis of the ego not being the
platform for the id as a fulfillment of
desires, but as an a critical psychological foundation. Erikson also further expanded Freud’s
psychoanalysis in his 1950 book, Childhood
and Society.
References
Good Therapy.
(1997). Erik Erikson (1902-1994).
Retrieved from http://www.goodtherapy.org/famous-psychologists/erik-erikson.html
Sharkey, W. (1997).
Erik Erikson. Retrieved March 29, 2005 from www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/erikson.htm
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