Final answer:
Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development consists of eight stages, each presenting a crucial conflict for personality development. It emphasizes the social aspects of development, varying from Freud's focus on psychosexual development. Successfully navigating these stages results in a healthy personality and sense of competence. Option c) is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
Psychologist Erik Erikson developed a theory of psychosocial development that outlines eight stages spanning from birth to death. Unlike Sigmund Freud, who emphasized psychosexual development and unconscious desires, Erikson focused on how personality changes over time, and the social influence rather than purely the sexual nature of our development. He introduced the concept that societal expectations and our interactions with others shape our ego identity, with each stage presenting a unique developmental crisis or task that needs to be resolved to develop a healthy personality.
Erikson's theory is a profound departure from Freud's approach, offering a lifespan perspective on personality development. His stages address challenges individuals face at different ages, from trust issues in infancy to the search for identity during adolescence, and ultimately, to reflections on life during old age. Each stage poses a conflict that, when successfully resolved, results in the acquisition of psychosocial strengths or virtues that contribute to overall well-being and personality growth.