Dětství a společnost – Erikson Erik H. (2022)

The famous psychoanalyst Erik Erikson emerged from Freud's concept of child development but enriched it with a description of social influences and also elaborated on developmental stages in adulthood and old age. According to his theory, a person has a specific task at each age, the fulfillment of which allows them to acquire a certain value. Notably, in the book Childhood and Society, the connection between psychology and cultural anthropology is highlighted. Based on this, the author attempts to show that the culture in which an individual grows up has a fundamental influence on their personality. He illustrates this with observations of members of two Indian tribes that create different types of individuals (spontaneous Sioux and much more restrained Yurok). The influence of social conditions is also demonstrated through the analysis of the German Hitler and the Russian Gorky. In addition to describing various life stages, the author also addresses the development of identity, including the dangers of its loss and the importance of adolescence for its development. The book, written in 1950 and thoroughly revised 13 years later, is Erikson's most famous and significant work, and its theories remain an integral part of developmental psychology today.