The Stages of a Life Cycle

The life cycle can be divided into ten stages, each of which is characterized by general development tasks and a development crisis, in other words, a situation in which the individual must orientate himself in respect of two opposite poles.

Each crisis is evoked by a specific way of interaction between the individual and the social environment. On the one hand, the maturing of the individual determines new needs and new possibilities, on the other hand, the society sets
certain corresponding demands and provides certain possibilities.

The solving of each crisis does not simply lie in the choice of a positive pole, but rather in a synthesis (the combination of two opposites on a higher level) between the two poles. A new life situation exists from which two opposite poles of the next stage then originate.

When the crisis of one stage is successfully solved, it leads to the handling of the following crisis. All the crises, in one stage, should be solved as new from another perspective. This means that all polar constructs are in actual fact present throughout life, although there is another crisis in each stage.

Even though each of the stages are dominant by a specific development crisis, the crises of the previous stages are still present “beneath the surface”. When studying the stages, it should be kept in mind that the name of each stage is an indication of the positive and negative poles of the crisis, while the word in brackets indicates the possible synthesis.

Basic trust in contrast with distrust (synthesis: hope)

In this stage, which coincides with the first year of life, the child must feel a basic trust and simultaneously overcome a feeling of basic distrust. At birth, the child is helpless in a world which, compared to the womb, is cold and unsafe. The mother and society are, however, normally willing to nurture and protect the baby.

Initially, the child’s contact with the world, occurs with the whole body, but especially by the mouth. The most important social modality is taking - taking of food, warmth, love and eventually also a variety of impressions by means of the senses.
For the development of trust, the quality of the child’s relationships with the mother, is of utmost importance.

The incorporative interaction of children with the environment, gradually becomes more active as they develop physically and materially. With a healthy synthesis between basic trust and distrust, children are well-equipped to approach new situations courageously but also carefully.
This synthesis of hope, is of the utmost importance throughout life.