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Dulguime, Sarrah Mae R. BSP-2A
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Sir Vincent Cabuang

1. Main Idea behind Erikson’s Personality Theory Erikson wasn't trained by Sigmund Freud, nor did he hold a Doctorate a highly respected university. In fact, he was not formally educated like the vast majority of his psychodynamic colleagues. Although his parents pushed for medical school, Erikson saw himself as an artist and spent his youth wandering through Europe living the artist's life. In 1927, he took a job working with children of Freud's patients and friends. The school approached development psychoanalytically and Erikson was soon to master this theory and begin developing his own theories relating to personality development. His two major contributions to psychodynamic thought include a reappraisal of the ego and an extended view of developmental stages.

The New Ego

Erik Erikson believed that the ego Freud described was far more than just a mediator between the superego and the id. He saw the ego as a positive driving force in human development and personality. As such, he believed the ego's main job was to establish and maintain a sense of identity. A person with a strong sense of identity is one who knows where he is in life, has accepted this positions and has workable goals for change and growth. He has a sense of uniqueness while also having a sense of belonging and wholeness. Those who have weaker egos, encounter trying times, or who have poorly developed egos get trapped in what is termed an identity crisis. According to Erikson, an identity crisis is a time in a person's life when they lack direction, feel unproductive, and do not feel a strong sense of identity. He believed that we all have identity crises at one time or another in our lives and that these