Pretoria, South Africa – The Faculty of Education at the University of Pretoria is proud to recognise the outstanding academic achievement of Professor Kobus Maree, whose article on Erik Erikson’s identity theory is making waves both locally and internationally. Titled “The Psychosocial Development Theory of Erik Erikson: Critical Overview”, the article has become the most downloaded publication in the 53-year history of the Taylor & Francis scholarly journal “Early Child Development and Care” and has already garnered over 352 academic citations and still rapidly growing.

In this landmark publication, Prof Maree revisits the enduring work of Erik Erikson, whose theory of psychosocial development has long influenced the fields of psychology, education, and counselling. Erikson proposed that identity evolves over eight distinct life stages, each marked by a specific psychosocial challenge. According to Prof Maree, Erikson’s ideas remain strikingly relevant in today’s dynamic and often volatile career landscape.

The article examines how Erikson’s concept of identity can be applied in postmodern career counselling, particularly in contexts marked by economic uncertainty and shifting professional demands. As Prof Maree explains, “People are increasingly seeking meaning in their work and personal lives. Erikson’s framework helps individuals explore their personal narratives and confront unresolved developmental issues that may hinder career satisfaction.”

Postmodern career counselling models such as Career Construction Theory, Super’s Life-Span Life-Space Approach, and Self-Construction Theory echo Erikson’s insights. These approaches empower individuals to reframe past challenges as opportunities for growth, guiding them to build coherent life stories that link personal meaning with career direction.

Prof Maree’s research places significant emphasis on the link between identity formation and career decision-making. He highlights that career identity—how one views oneself in relation to work—can serve as a foundation for wellbeing. Unresolved psychosocial conflicts, often rooted in earlier life experiences, can disrupt this foundation. Through narrative counselling and identity-focused interventions, practitioners can support clients in achieving active mastery of passive ‘suffering’; transforming adversity into a sense of purpose, renewed hope, and meaningful social contributions. In doing so, each act of healing extended to others becomes, in turn, a step in the clients’ own healing journey.
Erikson’s contribution to the understanding of lifelong development is also central to the article. Contrary to earlier psychological theories that emphasised childhood, Erikson argued that identity continues to evolve well into adulthood and old age. His eight-stage model identifies recurring developmental tasks that must be resolved to foster resilience and adaptability. These insights continue to inform educational psychology and career development practices worldwide.

Prof Maree also acknowledges the critiques of Erikson’s work, including gender bias and limited consideration of environmental influences. However, he argues that Erikson’s theory remains foundational due to its humanistic and integrative approach to development. By integrating Erikson’s framework with modern and postmodern theories, practitioners can offer more nuanced, inclusive, and culturally responsive support.

This achievement underscores the University of Pretoria’s leadership locally as well as internationally in research and thought leadership in education and psychology. As South Africa and the world continue to grapple with issues of career uncertainty, identity crises, and life transitions, the work of Prof Maree provides valuable instruments for individuals and practitioners alike.

Prof Jacobus G. Maree is a B1-rated educational psychologist at the University of Pretoria. He holds doctoral degrees in Education, Mathematics Education, and Psychology. He has published over 57 peer-reviewed articles and 36 books and book chapters since 2015. A sought-after keynote speaker, Prof Maree has delivered keynote lectures at more than 50 national and international conferences and has supervised over 40 postgraduate theses and dissertations since 2005.