Final answer:
Middle school students rebelling against authority figures correlates with Erikson's stage of Identity versus Role Confusion, where adolescents aged 12-18 work on developing a sense of self.
Step-by-step explanation:
The behavior of middle school students rebelling against authority figures can be linked to Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, specifically to the stage of Identity versus Role Confusion. This stage occurs during adolescence, from ages 12-18, where the main challenge for adolescents is to develop a sense of self. Adolescents may experiment with different identities and could appear to be rebelling as they attempt to establish who they are and what they stand for in contrast to the expectations of authority figures like parents and teachers.