When considering Erikson's eight stages of development, the way a person moves through each stage directly affects their success in the next stage. Their personality is being built and shaped with each stage. At each stage, there is a turning point, called a crisis by Erikson,

which a person must confront.

In this assignment, you will observe or interview two different people, each at a different stage of development. For a third observation, take a look at yourself and the stage that you are in (this stage must be different from your other two observations).

Record your three observations in a template. Include the following information:

Name

Age

Gender

Current developmental stage

Status within the stage (i.e., identity achievement or role confusion)

Events that have lead to this status

Download a Development Template from the Doc Sharing area to record your observations.

Summarize what you have learned about psychosocial development through these observations/interviews.

Summarize the trends you see in your observations/interviews regarding psychosocial development.

How does movement through Erikson's stages influence personality development? Again, be specific.

How do Erikson's stages of development compare to Freud's stages? How are they similar? How are they different?

Between these two theories, which one do you feel best explains your own personality development? Justify your answers with specific examples.