Which of the following age ranges corresponds to Erikson's intimacy vs isolation stage?

• A. 0 to 2 years
• B. 5 to 12 years
• C. 25 to 34 years
• D. 65 or older

Answer: (C)

Intimacy vs isolation focuses on forming close, loving relationships and making lasting commitments with others. This challenge arises in young adulthood, after a solid sense of self has been established, and the goal is to build intimate connections—romantic partnerships, deep friendships, and meaningful bonds. The age range that fits this stage is 25 to 34 years, when many people pursue long-term partnerships or families and prioritize companionship and mutual support. Successfully developing intimate relationships leads to the virtue of love, while failure to do so can result in isolation and loneliness despite being around others. The earlier childhood ranges map to stages like trust vs mistrust and industry vs inferiority, and the later years map to integrity vs despair, so they don’t correspond to this particular stage.