First, interview your parent(s) or caregiver(s) to gain their perspective on your developmental journey through Erikson's stages. If you are unable to interview your caregiver(s), you may interview siblings, relatives or friends who have known you for a good portion of your life.

This portion of the assignment will require that you have a strong understanding of Erikson's stages so that you can ask specific questions in order to understand your developmental journey.

Introduce the person you interviewed and your relationship with him/her. Summarize your interview experience and share the feedback you received from the person you interviewed.

Part 2:

Once you've completed your interview, you will take some time to reflect upon your own experience and exploration of that same journey. For each stage that you have traveled, explore how you personally resolved the conflict presented and how that resolution facilitates future stages.

For example, the first stage is trust vs. mistrust. Explore with your relatives the events and circumstances of your first year. Also, examine your past and present issues concerning trust and mistrust. Conclude with your own understanding of your resolution to this stage.

Remember that having resolved the conflict at one year does not preclude your dealing with that conflict at a later age/stage. Yet, how you deal with trust vs. mistrust currently may be a window into your earlier resolution.

Part 3:

critique of Erikson's stages based on your personal journey. Does his theory adequately explain your behaviors? Did you have any problems relating to his theory? In what way is his theory helpful for developmental psychology? Speak to potential drawbacks as well as to strengths. Include a discussion on how culture and nature-nurture influence development and provide specific examples.