How does Erikson's psychosocial theory describe the first stage of development and its central conflict?

How does Erikson's psychosocial theory describe the first stage of development and its central conflict?

• A. Autonomy vs. shame; infants.
• B. Trust vs. mistrust; infants rely on caregivers for consistency and care.
• C. Initiative vs. guilt; toddlers.
• D. Industry vs. inferiority; school-age.

Answer: (B)

In Erikson's psychosocial theory, the starting point is whether an infant can develop a sense of trust by relying on caregivers. When caregivers are consistently responsive and attend to the baby's needs—feeding, comforting, and soothing—the infant learns that the world is predictable and that people can be trusted. This lays the foundation for hope, a basic belief that life can be navigated. If care is inconsistent or neglectful, the infant may come to expect unreliability and harm, leading to mistrust and fear. The key idea here is the infant’s dependence on caregivers for consistent, caring interaction, which shapes whether trust or mistrust becomes the prevailing attitude toward others and the world. The other options describe later stages with different conflicts, so they don’t fit the first stage.

In Erikson's psychosocial theory, the starting point is whether an infant can develop a sense of trust by relying on caregivers. When caregivers are consistently responsive and attend to the baby's needs—feeding, comforting, and soothing—the infant learns that the world is predictable and that people can be trusted. This lays the foundation for hope, a basic belief that life can be navigated. If care is inconsistent or neglectful, the infant may come to expect unreliability and harm, leading to mistrust and fear. The key idea here is the infant’s dependence on caregivers for consistent, caring interaction, which shapes whether trust or mistrust becomes the prevailing attitude toward others and the world. The other options describe later stages with different conflicts, so they don’t fit the first stage.