Erik Erikson was a 20th century psychologist who laid the foundation for how personality develops over time, as well as how social influences can have lasting impacts. Additionally, he articulated his theory of lifestyle stages and coined the term "identity crisis"; when there is internal conflict involving issues such as trust, purpose or intimacy during developmental stages. Although his contributions were visible more than half a century ago, he played a crucial role in inspiring new areas of psychology and played an important role in how people currently view personality. However, much of its literature predates the women's rights movement, so earlier societal views of women's inferiority can be highlighted through the emphasis on male development, which has been the target of criticism and revision for its applicability to women. In this essay, I will refrain from being politically correct by saying "himself" when referring to people in Erikson's literature, as previous reviews have argued that the stages of his life cycle can apply differently to women. Despite his outdated views of gender roles, Erik Erikson will not be forgotten for his impact on changing perceptions of psychological development and its intertwined sociocultural influences. At such a young age, Erikson began to experience issues with his own identity. He was born in Frankfurt, Germany on July 15, 1902 and did not know his biological father. Growing up, he was tall and had blond hair with blue eyes as his family practiced Judaism. He was consequently mocked in Jewish and Nordic circles for appearing to belong to neither. Despite his stepfather's disapproval, he attended art school but soon dropped out...... middle of paper ...... deology by preventing outside. forces that can define the child and hinder their ability to discover themselves and naturally develop a sense of internal identity. But when looking at this problem from a business perspective, creating quick judgments allows you to develop quick solutions, which is usually cost-effective. Websites sell advertising, psychiatrists want their appointment calendars filled, and your academic standing (and opportunities for elite colleges) can be decided with a single test, which we must purchase. Unfortunately, it seems that capitalist interests may hinder the development of our future generations, but I don't want to sound like a conspiracy nut. Ultimately, Erikson opened up a new way of thinking about psychological development, but sociocultural forces (business/capitalism/feminism) can affect his influence just as they (parents/teachers) can affect children..