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Trust vs. Mistrust
Roger (6 months old) is hungry and needs to be fed. Roger decides to cry for his mother.
In Erikson's first stage trust vs mistrust, the crisis is, whether his mother will consistently be present to feed him when he cries (trust), or that if he cries his mother does not come to his aide and feed him providing inconsistent care (mistrust). -
Initiative vs. Guilt
Roger (age 5) passes his father a tool while he fixes a car, and his father comments on the tool that Roger has presented.
In Erikson's third stage initiative vs. guilt, the crisis is, if Roger's father praises him on taking the initiative to help him fix the car or scolds him for grabbing the wrong tool, making him feel guilty about taking an initiative. -
Ego Integrity vs. Despair
Roger (age 70) is sitting at dinner with his family and is reminiscing the up and downs he experienced over the past 70 years of his life, with the knowledge that he has raised his children to be successful and the years that he spent building his own restaurant, that ultimately closed.
In Erikson's 8th stage, ego integrity vs despair, the crisis is whether, he is saddened that his business closed upon retirement (despair), or is content with the life he had and experienced (ego integrity).
