fei75766_ch07_206-241.indd 219  02/06/20 11:52 AM
Chapter 7    Erikson: Post-Freudian Theory219
genital interests haveadirection, withmother orfather being theobject oftheirsex-
ualdesires. They setgoals andpursue them withpurpose. Playageisalsothestage 
inwhich children aredeveloping aconscience andbeginning toattach labels suchas
rightandwrong totheirbehavior. Thisyouthful conscience becomes the“cornerstone 
ofmorality” (Erikson, 1968, p.119).
School Age
Erikson’s concept ofschool age covers development from about age6toapproxi -
mately age12or13andmatches thelatency years ofFreud’s theory. Atthisage,the
social world ofchildren isexpanding beyond family toinclude peers, teachers, and
other adult models. Forschool-age children, theirwishtoknow becomes strong and
istiedtotheirbasic striving forcompetence. Innormal development, children strive 
industriously toreadandwrite, tohuntandfish,ortolearn theskills required bytheir
culture. School agedoesnotnecessarily mean formalized schools. Incontemporary 
literate cultures, schools andprofessional teachers playamajor partinchildren’s edu-
cation, whereas inpreliterate societies, adults uselessformalized butequally effective 
methods toinstruct children intheways ofsociety.
Latency
Erikson agreed withFreud thatschool ageisaperiod ofpsychosexual latency. Sexual 
latency isimportant because itallows children todivert theirenergies tolearning the
technology oftheirculture andthestrategies oftheirsocial interactions. Aschildren 
work andplaytoacquire these essentials, theybegin toform apicture ofthemselves 
ascompetent orincompetent. These self-images aretheorigin ofego identity —that 
feeling of“I”or“me-ness” thatevolves more fullyduring adolescence.
Industry versus Inferiority
Although school ageisaperiod oflittlesexual development, itisatimeoftremen -
dous social growth. Thepsychosocial crisis ofthisstage isindustry versus inferiority. 
Industry, asyntonic quality, means industriousness, awillingness toremain busywith
something andtofinish ajob.School-age children learn towork andplayatactivities 
directed toward acquiring jobskills andtoward learning therules ofcooperation.
Aschildren learn todothings well,theydevelop asense ofindustry, butiftheir
work isinsufficient toaccomplish theirgoals, theyacquire asense ofinferiority —the
dystonic quality oftheschool age.Earlier inadequacies canalsocontribute tochil-
dren’s feelings ofinferiority. Forexample, ifchildren acquire toomuch guiltandtoo
littlepurpose during theplayage,theywilllikely feelinferior andincompetent during 
theschool age.However, failure isnotinevitable. Erikson wasoptimistic insuggest -
ingthatpeople cansuccessfully handle thecrisis ofanygiven stage eventhough they
werenotcompletely successful inprevious stages.
Theratiobetween industry andinferiority should, ofcourse, favor industry; 
butinferiority, liketheother dystonic qualities, should notbeavoided. AsAlfred 
Adler (Chapter 3)pointed out,inferiority canserve asanimpetus todoone’s best.
Conversely, anoversupply ofinferiority canblock productive activity andstunt one’s 
feelings ofcompetence.Final PDF to printer