Which psychosocial crisis characterizes Stage 3 Early School Age?

• A. Industry vs inferiority.
• B. Initiative vs guilt.
• C. Trust vs mistrust.
• D. Autonomy vs shame.

Answer: (B)

Initiative vs guilt is the stage where children begin to assert themselves, plan activities, and take the lead in play and early learning. When adults encourage exploration and permit them to try new tasks, they develop a sense of initiative and purpose. If their attempts are dismissed or punished, they may feel guilty about pursuing their ideas and hesitate to take action. In the early school-age years, children are increasingly curious and eager to explore, so this conflict centers on whether they feel capable of initiating activities or fear overstepping boundaries. The other stages correspond to different periods: trust vs mistrust is from infancy, autonomy vs shame is from toddlerhood, and industry vs inferiority is later in the school years when the focus is on mastering skills and achieving competence. Therefore, initiative vs guilt best fits Stage 3.