An American psychologist of Danish and German descent. He is known for his work in the fields of developmental psychology and psychoanalysis, particularly for his theory of human social development. He was the first psychologist to use the term "identity crisis."
He was born in Frankfurt to a Danish mother. He was born out of wedlock and was subsequently raised as a Jew because his mother married a Jewish businessman. His family kept this fact from him for a long time, and it is often claimed that this event prompted him to reflect on and research the concept of identity.
In Vienna, he met Sigmund Freud’s daughter, Anna Freud, and underwent psychoanalysis with her. Based on this experience, he decided to pursue training in psychoanalysis himself. When he completed his training in 1933, the Nazis were coming to power. Consequently, he and his wife emigrated first to Denmark and then to the United States. He settled in Boston and held academic and administrative positions at numerous institutions, including Yale and Harvard Universities.