Erik Erikson : Search for Identity

Erikson’s theory is a direct departure from Freud’s focus on unconscious drives. Instead, it emphasises the rational, conscious ego as the main force shaping personality. Development, for Erikson, is not something that ends in childhood — it is a lifelong process. At the centre of this process is the formation of ego identity, the sense of who one is and where one is going.

The most famous part of Erikson’s work is his concept of the identity crisis during adolescence. He argued that young people must actively construct for themselves a central perspective and a direction in life. Without this, they cannot develop a meaningful sense of unity and purpose. The adolescent period is therefore a critical turning point where the individual must resolve the tension between identity and role confusion.

Despite its influence, psychodynamic theories — including Erikson’s — face strong criticism. The major objections are:

• They rely heavily on case studies and lack a rigorous scientific basis.
• The samples used are small and atypical, making generalisations unreliable.
• Key concepts are poorly defined and difficult to test scientifically. …