Erik Erikson's Stage 4: Inferiority Versus Industry

Erik Erikson's Stage 4: Industry Verses Inferiority

By Ahmed Saeed, Daniel Saad and Elle Philbert

FIN

How did it benefit society?

• This study benefited society as it shows girls who are still in their teenage years to not go and lose their virginity and have a child as they are still in their youth and most teenage girls are not ready to raise a child. This case study might persuade girls not to go that far at such a great stage in their lives.

• It also shows that children need to be disciplined and taught the difference between good an bad behaviour to prevent it escalating further as they get older. How much a child's peer group shapes a child is also illustrated in this case study.

The ethical considerations

In this study, the people involved had certain rights that the researcher had to abide to. Any personal information that they gave which contributed to the study which includes, name and age had to remain confidential. They had the right to withdraw at any time of the case study if they felt uncomfortable. They also had to get their parents to sign a consent form.

Where there any generalisations made?

Because this is a case study, not an experiment, it is not possible to make generalisations. It is not possible because a case study only looks at a specific situation and does not relate to other studies.

The Conclusion

In conclusion the researchers found that feelings of industry or inferiority are caused by several different factors. The most predominant however, are the responses gathered from significant individuals in a person’s life. If the actions are responded to in a positive manner, the individual feels a sense of industry. If the responses are negative, the individual feels a sense of inferiority.

Was the hypothesis supported or refuted?

• . The hypothesis was supported by the research done in the case study as both participants felt a sense of inferiority or industry due to a negative situation.

• Angela's feeling of inferiority was caused by the wrong reasons, not because she has been told that she is a bad mother, but because the stress has led her to not achieving her capabilities and making her think she is a bad mother and an abnormal teenager.

• Kevin’s bad behaviour has been ignored by his parents leading him to think that if they don’t care, then his behaviour isn’t wrong and because his peers have been supporting his actions, Kevin now thinks that it is the right behaviour to have.

The results

• In the case of Angela, researchers found that it was her feelings of inferiority in her roles that created an outcome in which she was not living up to her potential. Her role as a mother clashing with her desires as a teenager, combined with the criticism of her mother, resulted in feeling of inferiority.

• In the case of Kevin, researchers found that his bad behaviour was creating feelings of industry. These were spurred by the dismissal of his bad behaviour by his parents, as well as the appreciation of it by his peers, outweighing the disapproval of his teachers.

How were the Participants selected?

• The participants weren’t chosen through random or stratified sampling as they would have been in an experiment.

• How the participants were selected wasn’t stated, but it would be a logical guess to say that the experimenters would have chosen them by talking to councilors, schools, child helplines or teenage mother helplines.

Kevin

The second subject was an 11 year old boy named Kevin.

The characteristics he inhibited were:

•Kevin was very disruptive in class, despite being of considerable intelligence

•He did not devote his attention or efforts towards anything

•Believed “just enough” was all he needed to do

•He was popular with other students but was a bad influence on them

•Kevin’s parents did not acknowledge his bad behaviour

The characteristics of the Participants

Angela

Angela carried very distinct characteristics that can be explained by her family and social influences. She was a 17 year old who had fallen pregnant.

The characteristics that she inhibited were:

• Even with her situation she was not at the developmental stage to be competently taking care of a baby

• Angela’s mother believes that she is not doing enough to raise her child (Adam)

• Angela believes that her mother is not being supportive enough towards her

• Angela’s relationship with Adam’s father is not a good one and has resulted in him being absent

• Angela also feels as if Adam is not her child and that she is not a parent. This projects a very detached parenting method and results in Adam being a insecurely attached child

The Hypothesis

• It was predicted that negative situations and experiences will cause a person to feel inferior or industry for the wrong reasons.

• In this case a teenage pregnancy and the lack of discipline for bad behaviour.

About the Case Studies

• Angela had fallen pregnant at 17 and she and her mother had been taking care of her son, Adam. Both agreed that Angela wasn't coping with the stresses of motherhood

• 11 year old Kevin was intelligent but misbehaved in class. His parents ignored his behavior and his peers encouraged it, so his bad behaviour continued despite his teacher's disapproval.