Question 1
Write an essay on the development of a sense of industry and competence in the primary years. In your essay, describe Erikson's theory about how it emerges. Discuss how feelings in the primary grades differ from earlier periods. Describe factors that influence feelings of competence, including culture and experiences in school.Question 2
What does it mean to have many different types of self-esteem? In your answer, describe key types and the inter-relationship among them in the primary years. In what key ways does self-esteem vary across cultures?Answer 1
Suggested Responses: Students should accurately present Erikson's theory regarding the struggle between feelings of competence and inferiority. They should discuss how children's cognitive and social development in the primary grades leads to more realistic and less positive evaluations of self, but that children's ability to succeed in various domains in their life contributes to positive self-evaluation. Students should explain that school-related factors, such as evaluative symbols, whole group instruction/comparison, and formal relationships with the teacher threaten positive feelings of self. They should comment on cultural factors, such as the development of inclusive views of self or cultural variations in criteria for evaluating competence.Answer 2
Suggested Responses: Students should describe the following distinct areas in which children evaluate themselves: competence, control, moral self-worth (including fairness, obedience, and responsibility), and social acceptance. Students should explain that, during the primary years, self-appraisals in these areas are largely separate and can vary widely but that through childhood and adolescence they become integrated into a more global sense of self. In considering cultural factors, students should define inclusive views of self and describe the types of cultures in which it is more common. Students should comment on cultural differences in criteria for competency.