A Hinduistic-Karmatic Approach to the Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of Life Theory

 A Hinduistic-Karmatic Approach to the Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of Life Theory

Hinduism is considered the world’s oldest major religion; the religion dates back several thousand years, but it does not have a definite starting point.  Hinduism recognizes four key stages to life based on the goals of humanity; caste systems also play an important role within the practice of the religion.  The goals of humanity include:

• Dharma:  implies duty or obligation to engage in right conduct, law, and morality

• Aretha: seeks to gain wealth and power

• Kama:  is experiencing the pleasures of life such as music, poetry, art, dance, food, and sex

• Moksha:  involves seeking liberation from life’s cycle of birth, death, and rebirth

The ultimate goal of Hinduism is to achieve the Moksha level of liberation by ending the soul’s cycle of reincarnation.  This is achieved by gaining virtue through the internal recognition of vanity, understanding of earthly suffering, and abandoning earthly desires for spiritual pursuits in order to achieve Nirvana.  The hierarchies within the caste system are connected to ideas of purity; therefore individuals at the lowest level of the system are often tasked to do the dirtiest jobs.  Justification for the caste system is based on the concept of karma.  Karma is the ideology that destiny is determined by a means of cause and effect.  A person’s actions in this current state or life determines their future existence; therefore whatever you do comes back to you.  While caste systems are important; the second most important aspect of the religion are the elements associated with the stage of life that one is in.  There are four stages of life according to Hinduism:

• Student:  an individual is to learn all that they can.

• Householder:  individuals are expected to get married, have children, have a career, and earn money

• Forest Dweller/Hermit (Retirement):  occurs when individuals are done raising children and are ready to retire; most individuals will remain in this stage

• Renunciate:   stage involves individuals who are committed to living the remainder of their life as celibate-beggars in spiritual pursuit; the ultimate is to prevent the process of reincarnation by reaching the highest level of actualization (Nirvana), thereby achieving liberation.

        Hinduism recognizes that an individual will have different goals based on their respective stage.  Similar to the concepts found in the Hinduistic practices of karmatic life experiences that involve reincarnative processes as a means of becoming self-actualized or liberated is the Stages of Psychosocial Development model developed by Dr. Erik Erikson in 1959.  According to theory, there are eight stages of development within the human life cycle.  Each stage is designed to help a person to gain new insight and mastery of life’s challenge by experiencing phases of psychosocial crisis; all stages are dependent upon the successful completion of the previous one.  Erikson’s model involves reaching liberation through virtuous, character building experiences.  As individuals progress through each stage, they must learn to deal with the bio-cultural elements of life in order to gain the associated virtue.  Although mastery of a stage is not required within one cycle, individuals who fail to demonstrate mastery may encounter similar karmatic challenges within the next stage.  Erikson’s model consists of the following stages based on approximate age:

Approximate Age:  Infant, 0-18 months

• Psychosocial Crisis Experienced: Basic Trust vs. Mistrust

• Virtue Learned Upon Successful Completion:  Hope

• Summary of Stage:  Bonds of love or mistrust are formed

Approximate Age:  Toddler, 18 months-3 years

• Psychosocial Crisis Experienced: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

• Virtue Learned Upon Successful Completion:  Will

• Summary of Stage:  Physical skills and control are developed; concept of success, failure, doubt, and shame develop

Approximate Age:  Preschool, 3-5 years

• Psychosocial Crisis Experienced: Initiative vs. Guilt

• Virtue Learned Upon Successful Completion: Purpose

• Summary of Stage:  Development of assertiveness and initiative may result in feelings of guilt if done in excess

Approximate Age:  School Age, 6-12 years

• Psychosocial Crisis Experienced: Industry vs. Inferiority 

• Virtue Learned Upon Successful Completion:  Competence

• Summary of Stage:  Feelings of inferiority and incompetence may arise as one learn to adapts to life’s demands

Approximate Age:   Adolescent, 12-18 years

• Psychosocial Crisis Experienced:  Identity vs. Role Confusion

• Virtue Learned Upon Successful Completion:  Fidelity

• Summary of Stage:  Development of personal identity to include gender, religious, and political

Approximate Age:  Young Adult, Age:  19-39 years

• Psychosocial Crisis Experienced:  Intimacy vs. Isolation

• Virtue Learned Upon Successful Completion:   Love

• Summary of Stage:  Intimate relationships are sought and developed; may experience rejection and isolation

Approximate Age:  Middle Adulthood, Age:  40-64 years

• Psychosocial Crisis Experienced: Generativity vs. Stagnation

• Virtue Learned Upon Successful Completion:  Care

• Summary of Stage:  Involves seeking ways to support the next generation

Approximate Age:  Maturity, Age:  65-Death

• Psychosocial Crisis Experienced: Ego Integrity vs. Despair

• Virtue Learned Upon Successful Completion:  Wisdom

• Summary of Stage:  Characterized by self-reflection and acceptance; may experience a sense of fulfillment

While the stages of development Hinduism apply to reaching liberation as a means of ending the cycle of life, i.e. the matured soul, Erikson’s approach deals with life’s physical experiences with the ultimate goal of feeling self-fulfilled as one reaches the age of maturity and the end of life.  Based on Erikson's theory and the ideologies of Hinduism, one could pose the following questions as a means of self-reflection:  

• Will you achieve liberation or maturity by the end of your life based on your current path?
• If not, what are some areas in your life that need improvement?
• What strategies will you use to reach liberational-maturity in order to end karmatic life cycles?
• What lessons have you learned from your previous life experiences that can be used in the future?

Courses currently reviewing:  Cultural Literacy for Religion, The World's Great Religions:  Christianity, The African Diaspora, and Souls Beliefs.

Dr. Kristy Taylor, DHsc, PhD candidate, University of Sedona