Erikson's Fourth Stages: Industry Versus Inferiority

Industry versus Inferiority- Fourth Stage (Six Years- Eleven Years). Erikson’s fourth stage of life takes place from six yrs. to eleven yrs. with the following crisis: industry versus inferiority. The important event in this stage is a school with the fundamental virtue of competency (Erikson, 1997). It is a stage between school entry and puberty where it becomes a period of learning and mastering the more basic skills needed in society (Erikson, 1997). It is an essential stage for the ego to develop strengths of “steady attention and preserving diligence (Crain, 2005). Children learn to take pride in their work and acquire an attitude to do well in their work where they will develop an apprenticeship of life (Erikson, 1997). They learn to

Although if a child fails to feel a sense of accomplishment, desire of recognition, lack of industriousness and a feeling of usefulness after a completion of a task, it can result in their work being paralysis and a sense of futility, which will be most likely diffuse in the next stage (Erikson, 1997). The outcomes at this stage lead to children needing to cope with new social and academic demands. Success leads to a sense of competence, while failure results in feelings of inferiority (Erikson, 1997). For example, a child who excels in school and is always obtaining A’s in her classes will feel a sense of competency, but on the other hand, if a child is consistently failing their classes, they will feel like a failure a develop

Parent involvement is highly stressed upon being involved through the early childhood years in their child’s classroom or any extra-curricular activities (Tribe, 1982). The importance of being involved in their child’s life promotes children to gain self-confidence, positive self-esteem and form an identity. Their academics and social well-being will also excel greatly due to emphasize of parents being highly involved and being on the same page as their teacher. Specifically, studies of fathers who are highly involved in their child’s life gain a direct knowledge about their children and build a stronger relationship with their children. This helps fathers’ feel a stronger parent and child bond which creates nurturance where they can better respond to their child 's needs (Christiansen, S., Palkovitz, R., 1998). Therefore, generativity versus self-absorption stage where parents pass down their knowledge and skills to their children (future generations) (Crain, 1980, p.294). The importance of helping others being productive citizens and instilling the idea of knowing how to take care of