The main idea behind Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development is that personality develops across eight major life stages, from infancy to old age, as individuals navigate and resolve specific social and emotional crises. Successfully resolving each stage’s central conflict leads to a healthier personality and essential psychosocial virtues; failure to resolve these conflicts can result in challenges that may affect later development. Unlike Freud’s psychosexual focus on internal drives, Erikson emphasizes the role of social relationships and cultural context in shaping development across the entire lifespan.