Erik Erikson developed the eight stages of life. Erikson's theory focuses on development from birth to death, social context, and interpersonal relationships during each stage of life (McAdams, 2009). Similarly, each stage of life is understandable in three levels, such as body, ego, family and culture. The eight stages of life are infancy (trust vs. distrust), early childhood (autonomy vs. shame and doubt), childhood (initiative vs. guilt), childhood (industriousness vs. inferiority), adolescence and early adulthood (identity vs. role confusion), young adulthood (intimacy vs. isolation), mature adulthood (generativity vs. stagnation (or self-absorption)), and old age (ego integrity vs. desperation). After reviewing Erikson's eight stages of life, I believe I am currently at stage seven. The seventh stage is known as mature adulthood (generativity vs. stagnation (or self-absorption)). I'm only 22 years old; however, I have completed the sixth stage of young adulthood (intimacy vs. isolation). According to McAdams (2009), “In intimacy versus isolation, the young adult seeks to form long-term bonds with others, embodied in marriage or long-term romantic commitments” (p. 382). I grasped my identity and found intimacy. The intimacy I found was typified in marriage. Because my husband and I have high levels of identity, we have been able to establish and maintain a stable relationship with each other. With the perseverance of the sixth stage, I have now entered the seventh stage of life. The seventh phase focuses on generativity versus stagnation. McAdams (2009) states, “To be generative is to generate a legacy of the self for the benefit of future generations” (p. 382). There are four types of genders...... middle of paper ...... dating. He consciously knows what he wants in a long-term relationship, but there are also things he isn't aware of. To consciously answer this question he must be fully available to commitment and love. Furthermore, he must find his true identity. Once he finds his true identity, he can find the intimacy he is looking for. However, Erikson's eight life stages are prerequisites for understanding the entire lifespan of an individual. Likewise, these eight stages help individuals find their full identity or ego. Each individual will complete each stage at different levels due to their development. However, everyone will eventually discover their own development from birth to death. Works Cited McAdams, D. (2009). The person: An introduction to the science of personality psychology. Fifth edition. John Wiley and Sons.