Which stage emphasizes developing competence through school activities?

• A. Industry vs Inferiority
• B. Autonomy vs Shame/Doubt
• C. Identity vs Confusion
• D. Integrity vs Despair

Answer: (A)

Developing competence through school activities is about mastering new skills and gaining confidence through structured tasks, feedback, and collaboration. In school, children practice reading, writing, math, sports, art, and social rules. When teachers and peers provide encouragement and appropriately challenging assignments, the child experiences success and builds a sense of industry—feeling capable and productive. If the environment is discouraging or tasks don’t match their abilities, they may feel inferior, doubting their skills. The other stages focus on different life tasks: autonomy and independence in early childhood, identity exploration in adolescence, and reflecting on life in later years. So the emphasis on school-based mastery aligns with developing industry.