The Eight Conflicts in Emotional Development is associated with which theorist?

• A. Erik Erikson
• B. Jean Piaget
• C. B.F. Skinner
• D. Sigmund Freud

Answer: (A)

Key idea: emotional and social growth unfolds through psychosocial conflicts that shape personality. Erik Erikson developed a theory of eight psychosocial stages across the lifespan, each with a central conflict to resolve. Successfully navigating these conflicts leads to a healthy sense of self and stronger relationships, while unresolved conflicts can create difficulties later on. The conflicts span from trust vs mistrust in infancy to integrity vs despair in old age, illustrating how emotional development is tied to social context and adaptive functioning.

This framework focuses on emotional and social development, as opposed to Piaget’s cognitive development, Skinner’s behaviorist reinforcement, or Freud’s psychosexual stages.