In Erikson's theory, which stage describes adolescence's core challenge of developing a sense of self and potential future roles?

In Erikson's theory, which stage describes adolescence's core challenge of developing a sense of self and potential future roles?

• A. Trust vs Mistrust
• B. Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt
• C. Identity vs Role Confusion
• D. Industry vs Inferiority

Answer: (C)

During adolescence, the key challenge is forming a stable sense of who you are and what kinds of roles you might play in the future. This is captured by the stage of Identity vs Role Confusion. When this is navigated well, you develop a coherent sense of self and a sense of direction for your beliefs, values, career goals, and relationships—often described as fidelity or a clear identity you can stand behind. If this period doesn’t resolve well, you may experience confusion about your identity or feel unsure about the kinds of roles you want to take on in life, which can lead to inconsistency in behavior and hesitation about commitments. To place this in context, earlier stages address different tasks: trust vs mistrust focuses on developing a sense of safety with caregivers in infancy, autonomy vs shame and doubt on gaining a healthy sense of independence in early childhood, and industry vs inferiority on developing skills and competence in school-age years. None of those centers on creating a cohesive self-concept and future direction in the way identity formation does during adolescence.

During adolescence, the key challenge is forming a stable sense of who you are and what kinds of roles you might play in the future. This is captured by the stage of Identity vs Role Confusion. When this is navigated well, you develop a coherent sense of self and a sense of direction for your beliefs, values, career goals, and relationships—often described as fidelity or a clear identity you can stand behind. If this period doesn’t resolve well, you may experience confusion about your identity or feel unsure about the kinds of roles you want to take on in life, which can lead to inconsistency in behavior and hesitation about commitments.

To place this in context, earlier stages address different tasks: trust vs mistrust focuses on developing a sense of safety with caregivers in infancy, autonomy vs shame and doubt on gaining a healthy sense of independence in early childhood, and industry vs inferiority on developing skills and competence in school-age years. None of those centers on creating a cohesive self-concept and future direction in the way identity formation does during adolescence.