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Finding his identity through his passion. Identity vs. identity confusion
At the age of 15 and halfway through high school James decided to join the school robotics club. At the time he didn't know it but joining that club was a natural fit that would later define his career and help develop his passion of building things. In Erikson's fifth stage of identity vs. identity confusion, adolescents must discover who they are, what they are capable of, and what their place in society is. Failing to do so would result in identity confusion. -
James's decision to marry. Intimacy vs. isolation
At the age of 23 James was married to Shannon who was his best friend and shared many of his passions. They decided to build a life together and would later raise a family. The sixth stage of Erikson's timeline is intimacy vs. isolation. In this stage young adults come to the point in their lives where they must decide to forge a committed relationship while maintaining their own identity or risk ending up isolated if they are unable or unwilling to form an intimate relationship. -
Giving back with what he knows. Generativity vs. stagnation
At the age of 47 James decided to give back to his community by opening a robotics club at the local high school. In this way he was able to share a lifetime worth of knowledge while giving kids the opportunity to pursue a path in science. Erikson's seventh stage of development of generativity vs. stagnation leads a person to either decide to contribute to the well being of the next generation through providing for others or to focus on their own needs and end up in a state of stagnation.