n.1. lack of confidence or an uncertainty about something or someone, including the self. Doubt may center on everyday concerns (Can I accomplish this task?), issues of daily living (Can I change this ingrained habit?), or the very meaning of life itself (see existential anxiety; existential crisis). It is a perception, typically with a strong affective component, that is frequently a focus during psychotherapeutic intervention. 2. in Erikson’s eight stages of psychosocial development, see autonomy versus shame and doubt.