Erik Erikson developed what theory?

• A. Eight psychosocial stages through which humans develop throughout their lifetime
• B. Five stages of psychosexual development
• C. A single stage of cognitive development
• D. The hierarchy of needs

Answer: (A)

Erikson’s theory focuses on how people grow through eight psychosocial stages that span the entire life, from infancy to old age. Each stage presents a central conflict to resolve, and how you navigate that conflict shapes your personality and future development. When you successfully work through a stage, you gain a durable virtue that helps with later challenges. If the conflict isn’t resolved well, it can influence later stages, though growth is still possible.

The stages are trust versus mistrust, autonomy versus shame and doubt, initiative versus guilt, industry versus inferiority, identity versus role confusion, intimacy versus isolation, generativity versus stagnation, and integrity versus despair. This lifelong sequence and emphasis on social and emotional factors set Erikson apart from other theories.

That’s different from Freud’s psychosexual theory, which outlines five stages focused mainly on early childhood and bodily drives. It’s also distinct from Piaget’s cognitive development theory, which centers on stages of thinking, and from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which organizes motivation rather than psychosocial development.