According to Erik Erikson, how many psychosocial stages do individuals go through in their lifetime?

Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development outlines eight distinct stages that individuals navigate throughout their lives. Each stage is characterized by a specific conflict or challenge that must be resolved for healthy psychological development to occur. These stages span from infancy through late adulthood, beginning with trust versus mistrust in infancy and culminating with integrity versus despair in old age.

This framework highlights the idea that psychosocial development occurs in a series of phases that are influenced by social relationships and environments, making it essential for understanding the complexities of human growth over a lifetime. The eight stages reflect the evolving tasks of development, each building on the outcomes of preceding stages, and they emphasize the importance of social experiences in shaping a person's personality and skills. This comprehensive approach is what sets Erikson's theory apart, confirming that the correct answer is indeed eight stages.