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6-11 years old (Industry vs Inferiority)
• The development of realistic accomplishments vs the sense of
competency of useful skills and tasks. Children begin to develop
mastery of skill in an effort to accomplish a self-determined
goal. Yet, the sense of competency in fulfilling such a task may
range from feeling highly capable to completely incapable.
• The recognition of the difficulty of a task can be helpful insofar as it
helps develop realistic goals based on a more appropriate
perspective of their abilities. The flip side of the coin is, however,
that learned helplessness is a danger during this time as success
and/or failure may still be attributed to external factors.
• Because of the opportunity to accomplish a self-determined goal,
the sentiments of pride and shame develop apart from cues from
adults. Intense shame directed at a child at this time may shake
the sense of self-worth, even to a significant degree. This can be
internalized as having a lack of ability with little chance of improve-
ment.
• Social comparisons rapidly develop during this time. Because peer
approval becomes more important, managing negative emotions
that threaten self-esteem become more important. In the event that
an unsettling situation arises, children will either strategize a
response because they believe it is possible to alter the
circumstances, or they will focus on minimizing their distress, if it is
deemed unalterable. Well adjusted children are able to remain
optimistic in the face of an undesirable experience, while those not
as well adjusted are more likely to act out and threaten pro-social
interaction and peer acceptance.
12+ / adolescence (Identity vs Role Confusion)
• Developing of a sense of who children are, or are becoming vs a
lack of exploration and commitment into their own psyche. There is
an uptick in the development of what is important to them independ-
ent of authority figures. Thus, it should not be surprising that
teenagers become more detached from their primary caregivers
during this stage.
• A lack of the sense of identity can lead to trouble with intimacy in
relationships. Moreover, engaging in dichotomous behavior in
similar situations can prove disturbing to adolescents' sense of
identity.
• It is during this time that, while identities will continue to form,
adolescents will fall into one of four categories used to describe
different identity statuses.
• The development of realistic accomplishments vs the sense of
competency of useful skills and tasks. Children begin to develop
mastery of skill in an effort to accomplish a self-determined
goal. Yet, the sense of competency in fulfilling such a task may
range from feeling highly capable to completely incapable.
• The recognition of the difficulty of a task can be helpful insofar as it
helps develop realistic goals based on a more appropriate
perspective of their abilities. The flip side of the coin is, however,
that learned helplessness is a danger during this time as success
and/or failure may still be attributed to external factors.
• Because of the opportunity to accomplish a self-determined goal,
the sentiments of pride and shame develop apart from cues from
adults. Intense shame directed at a child at this time may shake
the sense of self-worth, even to a significant degree. This can be
internalized as having a lack of ability with little chance of improve-
ment.
• Social comparisons rapidly develop during this time. Because peer
approval becomes more important, managing negative emotions
that threaten self-esteem become more important. In the event that
an unsettling situation arises, children will either strategize a
response because they believe it is possible to alter the
circumstances, or they will focus on minimizing their distress, if it is
deemed unalterable. Well adjusted children are able to remain
optimistic in the face of an undesirable experience, while those not
as well adjusted are more likely to act out and threaten pro-social
interaction and peer acceptance.
12+ / adolescence (Identity vs Role Confusion)
• Developing of a sense of who children are, or are becoming vs a
lack of exploration and commitment into their own psyche. There is
an uptick in the development of what is important to them independ-
ent of authority figures. Thus, it should not be surprising that
teenagers become more detached from their primary caregivers
during this stage.
• A lack of the sense of identity can lead to trouble with intimacy in
relationships. Moreover, engaging in dichotomous behavior in
similar situations can prove disturbing to adolescents' sense of
identity.
• It is during this time that, while identities will continue to form,
adolescents will fall into one of four categories used to describe
different identity statuses.
(Berk, 2008)