Developing Typically in the College Years

Abstract

A development progression is outlined which dovetails with and expands the life-span theory of Erik H. Erikson and the type conceptions of W. Harold Grant into six stages, the span in years of each of which is roughly divisible by seven: Early Childhood (Birth to Seven), which includes Erikson's Trust v. Mistrust, Autonomy v. Shame/Doubt, and Initiative v. Guilt, and in which the child established Extraversion or Introversion; Late Childhood (Seven to Fourteen), Erikson's Industry v. Inferiority and the establishment of the Dominant function; Adolescent (Fourteen to Twenty-One), including Erikson's Identify v. Role Confusion and the raising into consciousness of the Auxillary function; Young Adulthood (Twenty-one to Thirty-Five), Intimacy v. Isolation, and the practice of the Tertiary; Mid-Life (Thirty-Five to Forty-Nine) Generativity v. Stagnation, and the bringing under some control of the usually unconscious Inferior; and finally, Mature Adulthood (Forty-Nine to Seveny) Erikson's Integrity v. Despair in which the conscious and differential use of all functions allows approaching the ideal of individuation.