Which theory asserts eight stages of social development with a new social task at each stage?

Which theory asserts eight stages of social development with a new social task at each stage?

• A. Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory
• B. Piaget's Cognitive Theory
• C. Erikson's Psychosocial Theory
• D. Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development

Answer: (C)

Erikson's psychosocial theory outlines eight sequential stages across the lifespan, and at each stage there is a new social task or psychosocial crisis to navigate that helps shape personality. Infancy centers on trust versus mistrust, early childhood on autonomy versus shame, the play years on initiative versus guilt, and school-age years on industry versus inferiority. Adolescence introduces identity versus role confusion, followed by intimacy versus isolation in young adulthood. Adulthood adds generativity versus stagnation, and old age concludes with integrity versus despair. Each stage requires resolving its specific social challenge to move healthily to the next, making this theory uniquely about the social tasks tied to development over time. Other theories focus on different processes—Bandura emphasizes learning from observation and self-efficacy, Piaget centers on changes in thinking and cognitive development, and Kohlberg maps moral reasoning—not a fixed set of eight social stages.

Erikson's psychosocial theory outlines eight sequential stages across the lifespan, and at each stage there is a new social task or psychosocial crisis to navigate that helps shape personality. Infancy centers on trust versus mistrust, early childhood on autonomy versus shame, the play years on initiative versus guilt, and school-age years on industry versus inferiority. Adolescence introduces identity versus role confusion, followed by intimacy versus isolation in young adulthood. Adulthood adds generativity versus stagnation, and old age concludes with integrity versus despair. Each stage requires resolving its specific social challenge to move healthily to the next, making this theory uniquely about the social tasks tied to development over time. Other theories focus on different processes—Bandura emphasizes learning from observation and self-efficacy, Piaget centers on changes in thinking and cognitive development, and Kohlberg maps moral reasoning—not a fixed set of eight social stages.