Which stage concerns a child's early years, balancing personal desires with social rules?

• A. Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt
• B. Trust vs Mistrust
• C. Initiative vs Guilt
• D. Identity vs Role Confusion

Answer: (C)

In Erikson's psychosocial theory, the preschool years center on initiative vs guilt. During this time, children eagerly take on new tasks, plan activities, and want to lead in play, yet they must do so within the social rules and expectations adults set. The push and pull between their urge to act and the constraints of those rules shapes whether they develop a sense of initiative and purpose or feel guilty about overstepping boundaries. This balance precisely describes the early years when kids are learning to act within social norms. The other stages occur at different ages: trust vs mistrust is from infancy, autonomy vs shame and doubt is the toddler years, and identity vs role confusion emerges in adolescence.