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intimacy vs. isolation
This is Paul, a 20-year-old boy. Right now, Paul is beginning to understand who he is and to establish close relationships with those around him. If Paul succeeds at this stage of his life, he could develop into a happy and secure person with lasting relationships. If he doesn't, he could develop feelings of isolation and loneliness, in addition to having difficulty forming close relationships. During this stage, Paul's friends and partner are very important. -
generativity vs. stagnation
Paul is now 45 years old and is going through another Erikson stage, where he focuses on contributing to society and helping the next generation develop. However, as in the previous stage, Paul may also experience problems such as stagnation if he hasn't successfully completed the previous stages, which can lead to feelings of pessimism and feeling unproductive. During this stage, the people around him and his work are very important. -
ego integrity vs despair
Paul turns 80 today, which means he's in Erikson's final stage. At this stage, Paul will ask himself how his life was. If he's satisfied with the life he's lived, he'll experience feelings of satisfaction and fulfillment and be at peace with himself. If not, he'll experience feelings of despair, fear, and bitterness. This can make him grumpy and bitter, and usually at this stage, the person compares himself a lot to humanity.