Developmental tasks are best described as the skills and attitudes a person must acquire over time. True or False?

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Cannot be determined
• D. Only in adolescence

Answer: (A)

Developmental tasks are the typical skills, attitudes, and social roles a person is expected to acquire as they move through different life stages. This idea, tied to researchers like Havighurst, emphasizes that growth involves meeting stage‑specific challenges and adapting to changing social expectations. The statement is correct because it captures that these tasks are not fixed once and for all; they develop over time and guide how a person should function in each era of life. While exact expectations can vary across cultures, the notion that growth involves learning stage‑appropriate competencies—such as forming identity in adolescence, establishing independence, and later forming intimate relationships or pursuing a career—holds true.