According to Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, which statement best describes what infants rely on to develop a healthy personality?

• A. Need to tolerate a great deal of frustration and discomfort to develop a healthy personality
• B. Rely on the fact that their needs will be met
• C. Must have needs ignored for short periods to develop a healthy personality
• D. Need to experience frustration, so it is best to allow an infant to cry for a while before meeting his or her needs

Answer: (B)

In Erikson’s trust-versus-mistrust stage, a healthy personality begins with the infant’s experience that caregivers will reliably meet basic needs. When responses are consistent and timely, the infant learns to trust that the world is safe and that people can be depended on, which lays the foundation for hope and security in later development. If needs are neglected or the infant is left to cry for long periods, that sense of reliability is undermined, teaching mistrust instead of trust. The statement that best describes what infants rely on is that their needs will be met.