Developmental theory suggests that individuals progress through stages with psychosocial challenges at each stage.

• A. Only genetics
• B. Stages only
• C. No stages
• D. Progress through stages with psychosocial challenges

Answer: (D)

This is about stage-based psychosocial development, where individuals move through a sequence of stages and face a specific psychosocial challenge at each one. Successfully navigating these challenges helps build the skills, identity, and resilience needed to progress to the next stage, which is the core idea of theories like Erikson’s. While biology and genetics influence abilities, they don’t by themselves explain the movement through stages or the distinct psychosocial crises at each point. The other options miss key parts: genetics alone doesn’t capture the staged, challenge-driven process; stages only omits the psychosocial conflicts; and no stages rejects a fundamental feature of developmental theories.