Question

Gould conceptualized the period of adulthood as one in which individuals need to challenge and resolve a series of "false assumptions," such as "I'll always belong to my parents and believe in their world."

a) True
b) False

Answer 1

The statement regarding adulthood and the need to resolve "false assumptions" reflects broader psychosocial theories similar to Erikson's stages of development, where adulthood indeed involves challenges such as intimacy versus isolation and integrity versus despair.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement you've provided about adulthood being a time when individuals must confront and resolve a series of "false assumptions" is aligned with the concepts of psychosocial development but does not directly reference Gould's work. Instead, it echoes the theories of Erikson's psychosocial stages of development, particularly the stages pertaining to adulthood. In Erikson's theory, early adulthood centers on the challenge of intimacy versus isolation, where after developing a self-concept in adolescence, the individual seeks to form intimate relationships. However, if the sense of self is not strong, the adult could face loneliness and emotional isolation. In late adulthood, the challenge of integrity versus despair is confronted, where individuals reflect on their lives and feel either a sense of satisfaction or failure.

Therefore, the statement you asked about is somewhat true but needs clarification. It is true in a broader sense that adulthood involves examining and reassessing personal beliefs and expectations, a concept found within various psychosocial theories, including Erikson's stages.