Which theorist is associated with personality changes in later life?

• A. Freud's psychodynamic theory
• B. Neugarten's personality theories of aging
• C. Erikson's psychosocial development theory
• D. Maslow's hierarchy of needs

Answer: (B)

Late-life personality changes are best understood through theories that focus specifically on aging and how older adults adapt to new roles, losses, and social contexts. Neugarten’s personality theories of aging center on how personality can shift in older adulthood, capturing the variability in responses to aging, retirement, bereavement, and changing social expectations. This work highlights that personality isn’t fixed and can evolve as people navigate the aging process, making it the most fitting reference for late-life personality change.

Freud’s psychodynamic theory emphasizes early childhood forces shaping personality, not aging-specific changes. Erikson’s psychosocial development offers a broad lifespan view with a final stage involving reflection on one’s life, but it isn’t a focused account of how personality changes specifically in later life. Maslow’s hierarchy describes motivation across the life span without detailing how aging alters personality.