New CED – Development Practice Exam

The concept that describes the series of conflicts influencing personality development according to Erik Erikson is the stages of psychosocial development. Erikson proposed a psychosocial theory comprising eight stages, each characterized by a specific conflict that serves as a crucial turning point in development. These stages span from infancy to late adulthood and highlight how individuals navigate social relationships and personal challenges.

Throughout these stages, individuals face essential dilemmas; for instance, during the first stage, the conflict is centered around trust versus mistrust. Successfully resolving these conflicts leads to a healthier personality and a stronger foundation for facing subsequent challenges. Erikson's theory emphasizes that personality evolves through social experiences and that these stages are universal across different cultures. This framework provides a deeper understanding of how various life experiences contribute to individual development and identity formation.

The other concepts mentioned do not encompass the entirety of Erikson's theory of personality development in the same comprehensive manner. For example, theory of mind pertains to understanding others' mental states, visual cliff is related to perception and depth perception in infants, and trust and mistrust is one specific conflict within Erikson’s broader stages.