What Is The Industry vs. Inferiority Stage? The industry vs inferiority stage is the 4th of Erik Erikson’s 8 stages of psychosocial development, typically occurring during ages 6-12. At this stage, children strive to develop a sense of competence and mastery in various areas such as academics, athletics, and social skills, and if they are.

The Industry Versus Inferiority theory was yet another theory introduced by Erikson to describe the stages throughout a child’s development. Industry refers to a sense of competence, a drive to do something, or wanting to be useful. The opposite of industry is known as inferiority. Inferiority is described as a lack of confidence or success.