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Autonomy vs. Shame and doubt
Two-year-old Jackie has recently been gaining a sense of independence by choosing what she wants to wear and what foods she likes. Because she has been encouraged to learn about herself and what independence is like, she has developed self-confidence and independence (autonomy).
The crisis in this stage is about becoming independent and discovering ourselves (autonomy) or being discouraged from learning about ourselves and feeling self-doubt (shame and doubt). -
Industry vs. Inferiority
Jackie (age 9) is on her school's soccer team. When she scores a goal that causes her team to win the game, she is rewarded with cheers from her teammates and feels a sense of pride in her athletic abilities.
The crisis in this stage is about whether we believe we can do well or not. When we are encouraged to do well and our hard work is recognized and we feel like we belong (Industry), but if our efforts are not recognized and we are heavily criticized, we lose our motivation (Inferior). -
Ego integrity vs Despair
Jackie (age 83) is enjoying her time with her grandchildren on Christmas eve by telling them about her exciting adventures and how she met her lovely husband. She has no regrets and lives to tell her loved ones about the amazing life she lived.
The crisis in this stage is about whether you feel like you truly lived life to the fullest and are satisfied (Integrity) or if you feel as though you did not have enough time to do all the things you wanted and have regrets (Despair).