Erikson's stages include how many stages of identity development?

Erikson's stages of psychosocial development include eight distinct stages, each corresponding to a different crisis that individuals must navigate in their journey toward identity and personal growth. These stages span from infancy through adulthood, starting with trust versus mistrust in infancy and culminating with integrity versus despair in later life. Each stage represents a critical period where the individual's experience can significantly influence their social and emotional development and their overall sense of identity.

By recognizing that there are eight stages, you can better understand the comprehensive nature of Erikson's theory and the importance of each phase in forming a complete identity over the lifespan. The other quantities listed do not accurately represent Erikson’s model, as he specifically delineated eight stages, thus providing a structured framework for understanding human development across the lifespan.