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. Furthermore, he articulated his theory on lifestyle stages and coined the term "identity crisis"; when there is an internal conflict involving issues such as trust, purpose, or intimacy during developmental stages. Although his contributions could be seen more than half a century ago, he was instrumental in inspiring new fields of psychology and played a major role in how people currently view personality. However, much of its literature dates back to before the Women's Rights Movement, so earlier social views of women's inferiority can be seen through its emphasis on male development, which has been subject to criticism and revision for its applicability to women. In this essay, I will refrain from being politically correct in saying "himself" when referring to people in Erikson's literature because later criticism has argued that the stages of his life cycle might apply differently to women. Despite his outdated views on gender roles, Erik Erikson will not be forgotten for his impact on changing perceptions about psychological development and his closely related socio-cultural influences. At such a young age Erikson began to have problems with his own identity. He was born in Frankfurt, Germany on July 15, 1902 and did not know his biological father. As he grew up, he was tall and had blonde hair with blue eyes while his family practiced Judaism. As a result he was derided in both Jewish and Nordic circles because he didn't seem to belong to either. Despite his stepfather's disapproval, he attended art school but soon dropped out... forces that can define the child and hinder the child's ability to self-discover and naturally develop an internal sense of identity. But when considering this problem from a business perspective, making quick judgments allows you to develop quick solutions, which is usually profitable. Websites sell advertising, psychiatrists want their appointment schedules filled, and your academic standing (and opportunities for elite colleges) can be decided with a single test, which we have to buy. Unfortunately, it seems that capitalist interests may impede 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 socio-cultural forces (business/capitalism/feminism) can influence his influence just as they (parents/teachers) can influence children..