Erik Erikson composed a theory of psychological development consisting of eight stages. Erikson's theory focuses on how personalities evolve throughout life due to the interaction between biological maturation and the demands of society. According to Erikson, “Each stage of human development presents its characteristic crises. Managing each crisis well allows an individual to be better prepared to face the next one. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2013, p. 314) According to Erikson's eight stages of development, I have only gone through six of the eight stages. The first stage of Erikson's psychosocial theory is called "Basic Trust versus Basic Distrust." This stage extends from birth to eighteen months of age. According to Erikson, at this stage, my parents were the main variable from which I learned to trust. They provided me with love, care, and nourishment so that I could learn to trust them. In my particular case, being like I was adopted, it was probably a little harder at first for me to trust my parents. Even though my parents constantly babysat me before becoming my adoptive parents when I was three months old, I can only imagine how difficult it was for them to build trust with me at first. The second stage of Erikson's psychosocial theory is called “Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt.” This stage lasts between eighteen months and three years. According to Erikson, during this stage, I was striving to learn to do things independently, like feed myself, walk, and go to the bathroom. Accomplishing these tasks gave me a sense of self-esteem and confidence. On the other hand, if I were constantly punished at this age I would doubt myself, rather than gain confidence...... middle of paper ......eling of inferiority therefore; I will do whatever it takes to not feel this way. The fifth step taught me to identify with who I was. During this stage, I accepted certain things about myself and discovered a new interest that stays with me to this day. Rather than getting confused with who I was or what I wanted to be, during this stage I identified with myself. During the sixth stage, the last, I learn that I have isolation issues and have a strong need for intimacy due to the strong relationship I have had with my father since childhood. I am currently still going through this stage and wondering if this is something I will grow out of or if it is something that will stay with me forever. Works Cited Zastrow, C. and Kirst-Ashman, KK (2013). Understand human behavior and the social environment. Australia: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.