The psychosocial theory of development, proposed by Erik Erikson, posits that an individual's personality develops continuously throughout the lifespan. This perspective contrasts with Sigmund Freud's view that personality is fixed in early life. Erikson's theory emphasizes the importance of social relationships over sexual drives at each stage of development. The framework identifies eight distinct stages, each presenting a specific conflict or developmental task. Successfully resolving these tasks is necessary to develop a healthy personality and achieve a sense of competence.

Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development

Erik Erikson was an influential theorist whose path into psychoanalysis began when, as a young art school dropout, he met Anna Freud while tutoring children in Vienna. Encouraged by her to study the discipline, Erikson earned his diploma from the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute in 1933. As Nazism spread across Europe, he fled to the United States that same year. He is best known for proposing the psychosocial theory of development, which suggests that an individual's personality develops continuously throughout the lifespan.

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Among the prominent theorists who adapted Freudian principles, four are particularly notable: Alfred Adler, Erik Erikson, Carl Jung, and Karen Horney. Each of these figures made significant contributions by building upon or diverging from Freud's original work.

Key Neo-Freudian Theorists

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Carl Gustav Jung developed his theory of personality surrounding an idea of the Psyche. He describes the Psyche as the main part of his theory, with four different aspects going into it. First is the Psychic Energy, also known as “Libido.” Next, is the principle of opposites, followed by the principle of equivalence. Finally, there is the principle of entropy.

Jung's Theory of Personality

Erik Erikson

Alfred Adler was a colleague of Sigmund Freud and the first president of the Vienna Psychoanalytical Society. He became the first major theorist to break away from Freud's inner circle, subsequently founding his own school of psychology called individual psychology, which focuses on the human drive to compensate for feelings of inferiority.

Alfred Adler

Karen Horney was one of the first women to be trained as a Freudian psychoanalyst. After moving from Germany to the United States during the Great Depression, she developed her own theories that diverged significantly from Freud's, placing greater emphasis on cultural factors and the potential for self-realization.

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