Erik Erikson's 8 stages of psychosocial development largely encompass the experiences a person goes through during their life. Erikson's first stage of psychosocial development talks about the relationship between a child and his parents. This relationship develops from the time a child is born until the time he or she usually reaches age 2. At this stage, the child's world is made up of his immediate guardians, that is, his parents (especially the mother), the nanny, the babysitter, etc. The child measures the rest of the world on the same scale with which he is treated by his parents. This is a stage where the child is completely dependent on his parents to meet his basic needs. It is at this stage that a child develops a sense of trust or distrust in the rest of the world. As long as the child receives nourishment, protection, comfort and affection, he perceives the world with a feeling of confidence. If parents fail to provide any of the above, the child develops distrust leading to feelings of frustration and lack of trust. The second stage refers to “autonomy against shame and doubt.” During this stage, a child is generally between 2 and 4 years old. A sense of independence develops in a child as he or she improves motor skills, increases muscle coordination, and gains control of excretory processes, while completing simple tasks such as showering, dressing, and feeding himself . This autonomous and self-sufficient behavior, if encouraged, helps the child solve very complex problems on his own later in life. Parents/guardians always play a key role at this stage. It is their patience and encouragement that helps a child learn more about his or her surroundings. Now that he is able to walk, special caution must be exercised... middle of paper ...... doubt his abilities; this being called inferiority by Erikson at this point. During the same skill period, children tend to discover their special talents. They begin to develop more interest in activities that will showcase these talents. However, if prevented from participating in these extracurricular activities, children will develop a sense of frustration, lack of motivation and even lose interest in studies. Erikson's fifth stage refers to the "confusion between identity and role" which he describes as loyalty. This is an adolescent period in the life of a child aged 13 to 19. At this stage, children are more conscious of their appearance. It is a stage where a child moves from childhood to adulthood. They develop a sense of sexual identity. There is a confusion of roles at the beginning during this period to know how they fit into society..