Social-Emotional Development Across the Lifespan

AP Psychology· difficulty 2/5

Sixteen-year-old Aaliyah experiments with different friend groups, considers several possible majors, tries out a religious community her family does not belong to, and asks her parents many questions about who she "really" is. Her parents notice that her values and goals shift several times during the year.

Erikson's Psychosocial Stages Infancy: Trust vs. Mistrust Toddler: Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt Preschool: Initiative vs. Guilt School Age: Industry vs. Inferiority Adolescence: Identity vs. Role Confusion Young Adult: Intimacy vs. Isolation Middle Adult: Generativity vs. Stagnation Late Adult: Integrity vs. Despair

Aaliyah's behavior most directly reflects which Eriksonian conflict?

  • A

    Identity vs. role confusion

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  • B

    Industry vs. inferiority

  • C

    Intimacy vs. isolation

  • D

    Generativity vs. stagnation

Explanation

The central task of adolescence in Erikson's theory is forming a coherent sense of self by exploring roles, values, and beliefs. The exploration and instability Aaliyah shows is typical of identity formation.

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