Final answer:
The need for intimacy, according to Harry Stack Sullivan, emerges after the development of identity. Individuals typically become aware of their sexual orientation in early adolescence. In Erik Erikson's stages, older individuals face the challenge of overcoming despair to achieve integrity.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Harry Stack Sullivan, the need for intimacy emerges after the development of identity. Sullivan and other psychologists, such as Erik Erikson, believe that individuals need to establish a strong sense of self in adolescence before they can form intimate relationships successfully in early adulthood. This level of self-identity provides a foundation for other social developments and relationships.
Research indicates that individuals are aware of their sexual orientation in early adolescence. This awareness is part of the broader process of identity formation, where adolescents question their place in the world and explore various aspects of their identity.
In Erik Erikson's developmental stages of life, older people struggle with the challenge of overcoming despair to achieve integrity. This is part of Erikson's psychosocial theory, which encompasses the entire lifespan, from infancy through late adulthood, with different challenges at each stage.