Trust vs Mistrust

By MichaelRemolino

  • Trust vs Mistrust

    Trust vs Mistrust
    As a four-month child, Daniel is curious about the world that he lives in. He is unsure about his surroundings and is often times frightened to approach objects, such as his dog, Henry. Fortunately, his mother assures Daniel that Henry is no harm. She pets the dog gently on the head and even kisses it on the nose to prove that Henry will not hurt him. In Erikson's stage of trust vs mistrust, Daniel debates on whether or not to trust his mother about Henry, but is convinced that he's safe.

  • Autonomy vs Shame & Doubt

    Autonomy vs Shame & Doubt
    Daniel is now eight months old and realizes that he is capable of doing more than just sitting around. He is now able to walk on his own and even use the bathroom without the help of his mother. His mother constantly compliments him whenever he uses the bathroom on his own, but is sometimes shamed for peeing where he shouldn't. In Erikson's stage of Autonomy vs Shame & Doubt, Daniel is encouraged when he uses the bathroom on his own, but is shamed when doing it elsewhere.

  • Initiative vs Guilt

    Initiative vs Guilt
    Daniel immediately makes new friends on his first day of preschool when he asks a group of kids to play tag. A majority of them agreed to play with him, while one boy decided to play with a dinosaur. The boy refused to play with them and so Daniel took away the dinosaur. The teacher reacted and told him to return his toy. Based on Erikson's stage of Initiative vs Guilt, Daniel felt confident that he was able to lead a group in a game of tag, while also feeling guilty for taking the boy's toy.

  • Identity vs Identity Confusion

    Identity vs Identity Confusion
    With graduation coming up in a few months, Daniel realizes that life really is moving fast. He knows now that he is entering the life of adulthood and that he must consider career choices that he is interested in. Daniel has always had a passion for technology, but his parents would like to see him as a doctor. Based on Erikson's stage of Identity vs Identity Confusion, Daniel is confused about what role he should take. He wants to be a computer engineer, but his parents disagree with that.