我B Psychology SL : Psychology of human relationships

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for IB Psychology SL

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 :Psychology Of Human Relationships

A 23-year-old female is contemplating taking a job after college graduation on the other side of the country. She is torn because this is an amazing opportunity, but she would be leaving her family and boyfriend of two years behind. Which stage of psychosocial development would Erikson say this young woman is experiencing?

Possible Answers:

我ntegrity vs. despair

Trust vs. mistrust

我nitiative vs. guilt

我dentity vs. role confusion

我ntimacy vs. isolation

Correct answer:

我ntimacy vs. isolation

Explanation:

Erik Erikson was a theorist who believed that each stage of life had its own task to overcome. Erickson’s psychosocial stages included the following: infancy, toddlerhood, preschool, elementary school, adolescence, young adulthood, middle adulthood, and late adulthood. He assigned each stage with an approximate age range. In the young adulthood stage (from the early twenties to the early forties), Erikson believed people needed to resolve issues associated with intimacy versus isolation. He hypothesized that individuals at this stage struggle with forming close relationships in the hope to achieve intimate love. He theorized that if this is not accomplished, then the individual might feel socially isolated. The other provided options are stages in Erikson's stages of psychosocial development; however, they each have their own tasks (i.e. integrity versus despair or identity versus role confusion) and are incorrect. The young woman in the question falls firmly within this range.

Example Question #2 :Psychology Of Human Relationships

A 23-year-old female is contemplating taking a job after college graduation on the other side of the country. She is torn because this is an amazing opportunity, but she would be leaving her family and boyfriend of two years behind. Which stage of psychosocial development would Erikson say this young woman is experiencing?

Possible Answers:

我ntimacy vs. isolation

我dentity vs. role confusion

Trust vs. mistrust

我nitiative vs. guilt

我ntegrity vs. despair

Correct answer:

我ntimacy vs. isolation

Explanation:

Erik Erikson was a theorist who believed that each stage of life had its own task to overcome. Erickson’s psychosocial stages included the following: infancy, toddlerhood, preschool, elementary school, adolescence, young adulthood, middle adulthood, and late adulthood. He assigned each stage with an approximate age range. In the young adulthood stage (from the early twenties to the early forties), Erikson believed people needed to resolve issues associated with intimacy versus isolation. He hypothesized that individuals at this stage struggle with forming close relationships in the hope to achieve intimate love. He theorized that if this is not accomplished, then the individual might feel socially isolated. The other provided options are stages in Erikson's stages of psychosocial development; however, they each have their own tasks (i.e. integrity versus despair or identity versus role confusion) and are incorrect. The young woman in the question falls firmly within this range.

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