The final stage of Erikson's developmental sequence, in which older adults tend to integrate their experiences with their vision of community, is called what?

• A. Integrity vs. despair
• B. Autonomy vs. shame
• C. Generativity vs. stagnation
• D. Industry vs. inferiority

Answer: (A)

In late adulthood, the key idea is the crisis of integrating life experiences with a sense of self and belonging in the larger community. As people review what they’ve done and who they’ve become, they weigh whether their life has had coherence and meaning. If the reflection leads to a feeling that life was well lived and that one can face the end with acceptance, the person achieves integrity, often accompanied by wisdom. If the review is filled with regrets and unresolved issues, despair can take hold, bringing a sense that life was wasted or incomplete. Seeing oneself as having made a meaningful contribution to others and to the community fits with this sense of integrity. The earlier stages—autonomy vs. shame, industry vs. inferiority, and generativity vs. stagnation—occur in earlier life periods. Thus, the stage described is integrity vs. despair.