The Erik Erikson Reader

by Erik H. Erikson

Erik H. Erikson is recognized as one of the world's leading figures in the field of psychoanalysis and human development. His ideas about the stages of development, the sources of identity, and the interdependence of individual growth and historical change revolutionized our understanding of the nature and course of psychological growth. Erikson, whose work first described the now familiar concepts of "identity crisis" and "life cycle," provided an unprecedented framework for considering the individual psyche within society and culture. Unveiling a dynamic process of psychological development, he emphasized the tendency toward growth and the integration of multiple influences--the biological, social, psychological, cultural, and historical. With writings from Erikson's entire career, including major work from Childhood and Society, Insight and Responsibility, Young Man Luther , and Gandhi's Truth , this invaluable reader charts the influence of Erikson's thinking in the areas of child psychology, development through the lifespan, leadership, and moral growth.

Genres: Psychology, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Psychoanalysis, Science, Sociology, Self Help

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Erik Erikson was a German-born American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst known for his theory on psychosocial development of human beings. He may be most famous for coining the phrase identity crisis. His son, Kai T. Erikson, is a noted American sociologist.

Although Erikson lacked even a bachelor's degree, he served as a professor at prominent institutions such as Harvard and Yale.

Reviews

[Phyllis]

Short of brain injury or religious experience, people don’t change that much beyond childhood.

If they did, we wouldn’t all have friendships that are decades old. But within every mind there

are possibilities. And different phases of life deliver different kinds of strife that demand

different kinds of virtue. To look back at your earlier years is to gaze upon a graveyard of

former selves, each of whose entire life was consumed by tensions, dilemmas, and desires that

now possess the fragile quality not of memory but dream. As Erikson tried to codify, the only

way forward is to pay attention to the challenge of life as you awake to it today, and find the

psychological stance that wins growth over inertia.



Intellectual reputation is a weird lottery. In his heyday, Erikson was a star; today, his name is

barely recognised. But Erikson’s ideas shouldn’t be allowed to evaporate into history. The

clash between local and transnational forms of identity has become one of the defining political

issues of our era; Erikson predicted this. And at the personal level, he offered the liberating

idea that identity doesn’t have to set like plaster. He argued for ‘neuroplasticity’ long before it

became a middlebrow buzzword. He said that crises will come but that, if you stay flexible, on

the other side lie new vistas of psychic fortitude, fresher and wilier kinds of self-image.

Erikson was almost unique among psychoanalysts for his basic optimism. Know yourself –

keep knowing yourself – and the rest will come.
认识你自己——不断认识你自己，余下的终会到来。

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent introduction to Erikson's work. He is a very thought provoking writer. His work goes beyond psychology into philosophy, anthropology/sociology, and history. His thorough attempt to understand and comment on the minds of Martin Luther, Thomas Jefferson and Gandhi was fascinating. I learned a great deal and feel there is much more I can learn from this man.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Erikson's stages of psychosocial development are so important and interesting. He expands on Freud's stages and extends them well into adolescence and adulthood. I wish I had been exposed to them, especially the final stage, earlier on because it's particularly valuable regarding end-of-life care.

[Ella Tutlis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok I didn’t read the chapters “on leaders” because boring, but I’m still counting this as read because I got to page 225.

Idk wtf was up with the editor of this collection but I hated his writing style - his run on sentences killed me, and I was sad to not connect with his sense of Erickson.

However, the chapters I read were a great introduction to Erickson. I would like to read more of his work, especially from Childhood and Society.

Overall, wouldn’t recommend this as an intro to Erickson.

[Rosa Ramôa · Rating 4 out of 5]

“O fato da consciência humana permanecer parcialmente infantil por toda a vida é o âmago da tragédia humana.”
(Erik Erikson)