The final stage in Erikson's psychosocial development is called what?

The final stage in Erikson's psychosocial development is called what?

• A. Integrity vs. Despair
• B. Generativity vs. Stagnation
• C. Identity vs. Role Confusion
• D. Industry vs. Inferiority

Answer: (A)

This stage centers on reflecting on a life as a whole and forming a sense of ego integrity. If you look back with a sense of having lived meaningfully, accepting both strengths and mistakes, you achieve ego integrity and often a sense of wisdom. If the retrospective is filled with regrets or a feeling that life was wasted, despair can set in, bringing disappointment and fear of death. This stage comes at the end of Erikson’s sequence, after the stages of adolescence, young adulthood, and middle adulthood, which address earlier challenges like forming a stable identity, building intimate relationships, and contributing to society. Because the focus here is this final reflection and acceptance, the correct label is integrity vs. despair.

This stage centers on reflecting on a life as a whole and forming a sense of ego integrity. If you look back with a sense of having lived meaningfully, accepting both strengths and mistakes, you achieve ego integrity and often a sense of wisdom. If the retrospective is filled with regrets or a feeling that life was wasted, despair can set in, bringing disappointment and fear of death. This stage comes at the end of Erikson’s sequence, after the stages of adolescence, young adulthood, and middle adulthood, which address earlier challenges like forming a stable identity, building intimate relationships, and contributing to society. Because the focus here is this final reflection and acceptance, the correct label is integrity vs. despair.