Stage Four Industry vs Inferiority

At Eriksons psychosocial stage four, children mature and their level of

self-awareness increases. They understand logical reasoning, scientific
facts, and other matters that are typically taught in school.

Children also become more competitive during this Erikson stage of

development. They want to do things that other children of the same age
can do. When they make the effort to perform a task and succeed, they
develop self-confidence. However, if they fail, they tend to feel that they
are inferior to others.

Stage 4: Industry vs. Inferiority (School

Age: 6 12 years)
Erikson believes that the elementary years may significantly determine
childrens self-esteem based on their view on their ability to do productive
labor. The combination of adults anticipations and childs energy to
master things leads to the psychological conflict requiring resolution:
industry versus inferiority.

Elementary children may still need some hours of make-believe games

and play, but with too much of it, children tend to be dissatisfied and feel
the need of doing something more worthwhile. They start to feel the need
to learn skills that are given much value in their society. At this stage, they
do a lot of learning such as reading, writing, doing sums, and making
things on their own, thus, developing the sense of industry. Childrens
networks widen as relationships in school and neighborhood become
important in this period. Teachers start to play a more significant role in
childrens life as they are the ones who teach those skills that are deemed
important. Peer groups also matter to them as they usually spend majority
of their time with them.

Children get to know their own unique abilities as well as others, learn
the value of division of labor, and develop a sense of moral commitment
and responsibility. They develop competence and view their selves as
being able to master skills and finish tasks. They start to feel the need to
gain approval by validating their competences, and become proud when
they accomplish the tasks that they set out to do. The harm comes in
when the child compares his abilities to his peers and feels little
confidence in his capabilities. When the childs family has not fully
prepared the child for school life, or when his teachers and friends hurt
the childs feelings of competence and mastery with negative reactions, a
sense of inadequacy develops.

When teachers, parents and other significant people encourage and

support the childs efforts and abilities, the child feels industrious and
confident. However, when the child is discouraged, ignored and
controlled, he may feel inferior and doubtful of his skills. A balance
between competence and modesty is needed for the childs development
as some failure is also recognized to have a helpful influence on the
childs growth.

The main virtue that is developed by resolved conflicts at this stage is the
virtue of competence, displayed by making things and creating results,
applying skills and processes productively and having the sense of being
capable. The secondary virtue that a child develops from success at this
stage is method, which is shown by the individual who has the capacity
to utilize process and method in the quest of fulfilling ideas or goals, is
able to demonstrate confidence that is enough to enable him to seek and
respond to challenges and learning, and who possesses an active and
busy productive outlook.

Too much confidence felt by a child at this stage, however, may lead to
maladaptation which is narrow virtuosity, as the person becomes a
workaholic and obsessive specialist. In addition, when the child
experiences failure too often, malignancy which is inertia develops
within the child, manifesting itself as the person becomes lazy, apathetic
and purposeless.

Children are at the stage where they will be learning to read and write, to do
sums, to do things on their own. Teachers begin to take an important role in the
childs life as they teach the child specific skills.
It is at this stage that the childs peer group will gain greater significance and will
become a major source of the childs self-esteem. The child now feels the need to
win approval by demonstrating specific competencies that are valued by society
and begin to develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments.
If children are encouraged and reinforced for their initiative, they begin to feel
industrious and feel confident in their ability to achieve goals. If this initiative is
not encouraged, if it is restricted by parents or teacher, then the child begins to
feel inferior, doubting his own abilities and therefore may not reach his or her
potential.
If the child cannot develop the specific skill they feel society is demanding (e.g.
being athletic) then they may develop a sense of inferiority. Some failure may be
necessary so that the child can develop some modesty. Again, a balance between
competence and modesty is necessary. Success in this stage will lead to the virtue
of competence.