According to Erik Erikson, during adolescence, people are in the "identity versus role confusion" stage. This is the stage where individuals are exploring and developing their personal identity, trying to understand who they are, what they value, and what they want to do with their lives.
During this stage, adolescents may experiment with different roles, beliefs, and relationships to establish a sense of self. They may question their identity, values, and place in society, leading to a period of uncertainty and exploration. Successfully navigating this stage involves forming a clear and coherent sense of self and direction for the future.
In contrast, the other options listed correspond to different stages in Erikson's psychosocial development theory:
- Trust versus mistrust is the stage that occurs in infancy, where the primary focus is on developing trust in the world based on the caregiver's reliability and responsiveness.
- Initiative versus guilt is the stage that occurs in early childhood, where children begin to assert themselves and take on more responsibility, leading to feelings of accomplishment or guilt.
- Integrity versus despair is the stage that occurs in late adulthood, where individuals reflect on their lives and either feel a sense of fulfillment and wisdom (integrity) or regret and despair.
Therefore, the correct stage for adolescence, according to Erik Erikson, is the "identity versus role confusion" stage.
