Which stage best represents the child taking on roles and acting out scenes?

• A. I
• B. Game
• C. Play
• D. Generalized Other

Answer: (C)

The act of pretending and taking on different roles happens during the play stage. This is when a child imitates others and acts out scenes, like playing house or doctor, by stepping into someone else’s perspective. It helps the child learn how others might think or feel and begins to build social understanding through role-taking. The I stage is more about spontaneous, self-driven impulses, not structured role-play. The game stage introduces understanding multiple roles and the rules of a group activity, and the generalized other represents internalized societal expectations—concepts that come after the early pretend play.