“Grandma Ro” is rather bitter and unpleasant to be around. She has a number of regrets when she looks back on her life, including the fact that she is estranged from her children and grandchildren due to an old family feud. She often complains of imagined physical symptoms and is afraid to die. She illustrates which of the qualities seen in Erikson’s final stage of social development?
A Integrity
B Wisdom
C Despair
D Egocentrism
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is C Despair.
In Erikson’s final stage of psychosocial development, known as Integrity vs. Despair, individuals reflect on their lives and come to terms with how they lived. A person who achieves integrity feels a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction, accepting both the good and bad choices made over their lifetime. They view their life as meaningful and coherent, without excessive regret. However, if they look back with dissatisfaction, regret, and unresolved issues, they may experience despair. This feeling arises from a sense that life has been wasted, and they fear death without having achieved fulfillment or reconciled their past mistakes.
“Grandma Ro” exhibits behaviors indicative of despair. She is bitter, complains about physical symptoms (which could be psychosomatic), and fears death. Her estrangement from her children and grandchildren due to an old family feud suggests unresolved emotional conflicts and regret over broken relationships. These signs align with Erikson’s description of individuals in despair, who often focus on their regrets and feel they have little control over their fate.
In contrast, Integrity would describe someone who feels at peace with their past, Wisdom would imply that the person has learned important life lessons and has a deep understanding, and Egocentrism refers to a more self-centered view that is generally seen earlier in development.
In summary, “Grandma Ro” is struggling with the emotional consequences of unresolved conflicts and regrets, which is characteristic of Despair in Erikson’s framework.