Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of Erikson’s theory.

Erikson’s theory describes eight stages of human psychosocial development from infancy to old age. The first four stages occur in childhood when trust, autonomy, initiative, and competence should typically develop. Abnormalities during this period can cause such maladaptive issues as excessive guilt, withdrawal, compulsion, and feeling of inferiority. The fifth stage, which starts in adolescence, results in identity formation. The last three stages of adulthood continue with the development of relationships, parenting, and wisdom. The major strength of this theory is that it describes an individual’s adaptation throughout one’s lifetime. However, the weakness is that it is not universal to all cultures because various ethnicities’ customs and behavior at specific ages may differ from Western civilization’s societal rules.

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Academic.Tips. 2022. "Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of Erikson’s theory." September 27, 2022. https://academic.tips/question/evaluate-the-strengths-and-weaknesses-of-eriksons-theory/.

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Academic.Tips. "Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of Erikson’s theory." September 27, 2022. https://academic.tips/question/evaluate-the-strengths-and-weaknesses-of-eriksons-theory/.

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