Famous People

    Erik Homburger Erikson

Erik Homburger Erikson was a famous psychologist who made numerous contributions to the field of psychology. Erik Erikson was born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1902. Before his birth his family was deserted by his biological father and he was brought up by his mother and stepfather who he grew up believing to be his real father. When Erikson learnt the truth about his biological heritage he was in his adolescence and he kept the truth from people till he was 68 years of age. He was a confused boy with his Scandinavian looks because he was brought up to believe that he was a Jew.  Erikson’s need to find his own identity arose after he graduated from public school. This was when Erikson began his journey to find himself and threw caution to becoming a doctor which was what his step father wanted. He believed him to be an artist and set about on a journey of travel in Europe which ultimately brought him in contact with Sigmund Freud.

Erik Erikson’s fight with his own identity led him to actions that he later acknowledged as someplace between neurotic and psychotic. This also presented him with an intense closure into the problems connected with identity, specifically amongst young children and adolescents.