Eriksons Stages Of Development: Erik Erikson proposed eight stages of psychosocial development, each marked by a central conflict that individuals must resolve to move successfully to the next stage. Starting with Trust vs. Mistrust in infancy and ending with Integrity vs. Despair in old age, each stage builds on the outcomes of previous ones. A diagram labels the stages with age ranges and key questions, such as Can I trust the world? or Who am I?. This model helps explain how personality and identity evolve through lifes challenges.