INITIATIVE VS GUILT

PRE-SCHOOL AGE

(3-5 YEARS OLD)

 Desire to attempt new tasks, join or come up with activities with friends, and
use new skills in play. The child begins to learn that they can exert power
over themselves and the world.
 Kids who develop initiative are eager to try new activities and experiences
without excessive fear of failure. They learn what they can and cannot
control.
 At this stage, play and imagination take on an important role. Being given
the freedom and encouragement to play helps a child feel excited about
exercising some control over what they're doing.
 Moreover, children begin to learn that they are independent individuals who
control their behavior.

Success in this stage relies on a healthy balance between initiative and guilt.
Initiative leads to a sense of purpose and can help develop leadership skills; failure
results in guilt. Essentially, kids who don't develop initiative at this stage may
become fearful of trying new things. When they do direct efforts toward
something, they may feel that they are doing something wrong.

HOW TO BUILD INITIATIVE:

1. Children need to begin asserting control and power over the environment by
taking initiative: planning activities, accomplishing tasks, and facing challenges.
During this stage, it is important for caregivers to encourage exploration and to
help children make appropriate choices.
2. Caregivers who are discouraging or dismissive may cause children to feel
ashamed of themselves and to become overly dependent upon the help of others.
 This stage can sometimes be frustrating for parents and caregivers as
children begin to exercise more control over the friends they play with, the
activities they engage in, and the way that they approach different tasks.
Parents and other adults might want to guide children toward certain
choices, but children might resist and insist on making their own choices.
 Although this might lead to conflict at times, it is important to give kids a
chance to make their own choices. Of course, parents must continue to
enforce safe boundaries and encourage children to make good choices
through the use of modeling and reinforcement.
  Also known as instrumental conditioning. Reinforcement in operant
conditioning involves strengthening an action by associating it with a
consequence, causing that action to become a conditioned reinforcer.
 A conditioned reinforcer example is if you want a child to clean their room,
for instance, you may reinforce this behavior by giving them an allowance
every time that they do. By getting the same consequence (money) each time
they perform the action (cleaning the room), they begin to learn this
behavior.

HOW TO LIMIT GUILT:

 To help prevent feelings of guilt, caregivers can encourage children to see
their mistakes as learning opportunities. It's very important that parents and
teachers avoid excessive criticism and dismissiveness.
 At this stage and encourage children to keep trying through practice and
persistence. Encouraging a child's natural curiosity without judgment.
 Children who are over-directed by adults may struggle to develop a sense of
initiative and confidence in their own abilities.
 Success at this stage produces a child who, rather than giving up after failing
a task, keeps trying.

INDUSTRY VS. INFERIORITY

SCHOOL AGE
(6-11 YEARS OLD)

1. Industry vs. Inferiority is the fourth stage in this theory. Industry is referred to as
being productive upon receiving an evaluation of one's work. In some literature,
industry may also be referred to as competence. Inferiority means that an
individual becomes discouraged, feels inferior, or incompetent upon receiving an
evaluation of one's work. In this stage, children will aim at developing a sense of
industry, failing this stage will lead to a feeling of inferiorior.
2. During the industry versus inferiority stage, children are faced with the task of
mastering new skills and developing a sense of competence. They begin to
compare themselves to others and seek approval from parents, teachers, and peers.
Success in this stage leads to a sense of industry, where children feel confident in
their abilities and have a positive self- image.
 On the other hand, failure to develop a sense of industry can result in
feelings of inferiority. Children may feel inadequate, doubting their abilities
and constantly seeking reassurance from others. This can have long-term
effects on their self-esteem and confidence.
  It's important to note that Erikson's theory is just one perspective on human
development, and different theorists may have different perspectives.

WHAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF INDUSTRY VS. INFERIORITY?

 An example of industry is that a child is encouraged to try and explore, thus

they understand that they are capable of solving problems on their own.
 An example of inferiority is that a child is discouraged from developing
their skills and constantly viewed in a negative light. Thus they consider
themselves as inferior in comparison to their counterparts and suffer from
low self- esteem.