THE ADULT YEARS

1. How do the adults you know seem to be negotiating the issues that Erikson describes? How
do your grandparents fit into Erikson’s conception of the later stages?

Erik Erikson introduced the various stages of psychosocial development in humans throughout their
lifespan. His theory suggested that in each specific stage of our life, we might experience something
which could result in either a positive or negative outcome eventually. In the case of adults, which I have
already known for many years, they have exhibited different results due to the circumstances, whether
internal or external, that have dictated their decision-making. For instance, my uncle, who had his love
affair during his college years, has been happily married for a decade. He met the love of his life while
pursuing his dreams. Due to my uncle’s intimacy and yearning for genuine love, he made an incredibly
beautiful decision in his life. McLeod (2018) supported Erikson’s argument that the successful
accomplishment of his sixth psychosocial theory, Intimacy versus Isolation, is manifested by a true sense
of commitment which consequently leads to a happy relationship.

On my grandparents’ part, I know that they have also been successful in their lives. In fact, aside
from raising their beautiful children and grandchildren, they have managed to be financially secure
because of the success of their business. Here, we can see that because of their wise financial decisions,
they have emerged on top and hence they have felt a sense of accomplishment and legacy. The seventh
stage of Erikson’s psychosocial theory, particularly generativity, has long been fulfilled by my
grandparents. Generativity correlates with healthy behaviors (Lewis & Allen, 2017) and that explains why
they are still physically and emotionally healthy until now.

2. How do you conceive of “adulthood”? Are you eagerly looking forward to it, or is it a
prospect that induces anxiety or dread? Are you basing your feelings on examples of
individuals who have been models of adulthood for you or on other sources, such as movies,
television, or your peers?

As a teenager, I conceive adulthood as something inevitable. Someday, I shall be an adult who must
be strong and independent. Of course, because of the rapidly changing world, countless opportunities, as
well as challenges, are always present. Honestly, there is that fear and anxiety because of the
overwhelming demands of the world.

“Adulthood has never been easy.”: this has been the mantra of most of my friends who are years
ahead of me. Nevertheless, I believe that I must take every opportunity and embrace every challenge as I
venture into my adulthood stages. I also think that by getting inspiration from the epitomes of happy and
successful adulthood, I shall be able to access the fifth stage of Erikson’s psychosocial theory of
development, which is Identity, triumphantly. Thus, it will lead to a domino effect wherein the successive
changes will also present something positive to me, unless, of course, some negative circumstances
disturb me along the way. But, regardless of possible negative outcomes that I might encounter in the
future, I passionately believe that with the help of my loved ones and my staunch support system, I can
endure everything.

References:

Lewis, J., & Allen, J. (2017). Alaska Native Elders in Recovery: Linkages between Indigenous Cultural
Generativity and Sobriety to Promote Successful Aging, Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology,
32(2017), 209-222. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-017-9314-8
McLeod, S.A. (2018, May 3). Erik Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development. Simply Psychology.
www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html