Question

Which features are true of middle childhood years?
A. Same sex friendships
B. Animism
C. Conservation
D. Phallic stage
E. Industry vs inferiority
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. C, D and E only
• B. B, C and D only
• C. A, C and E only
• D. A, B and E only

Hint:

Middle childhood (ages 6 to 11) is characterized by the Concrete Operational Stage (Piaget's conservation) and the Industry vs. Inferiority stage (Erikson's competence).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Middle childhood is the stage of development spanning from approximately 6 to 11 years of age, corresponding to the elementary school years.
This stage is characterized by distinct cognitive, emotional, and social milestones.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us evaluate each of the features relative to middle childhood:
- Same-sex Friendships (A): During middle childhood, children's peer groups become highly gender-segregated.
Children show a strong preference for same-sex friendships, forming cohesive peer groups that support social development.
- Conservation (C): According to Jean Piaget's cognitive development theory, children in middle childhood enter the Concrete Operational Stage (ages 7 to 11).
During this stage, they master conservation—the understanding that physical properties (such as mass, volume, or number) remain the same even when their appearance changes.
- Industry vs. Inferiority (E): According to Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory, middle childhood is characterized by this crisis.
Children focus on mastering academic and social skills.
Success leads to a sense of competence (industry), while failure can lead to feelings of inadequacy (inferiority).
Let us evaluate the remaining options:
- Animism (B): The belief that inanimate objects have lifelike qualities, which is a characteristic of the Pre-operational Stage (early childhood, ages 2 to 7).
- Phallic Stage (D): A psychosexual stage described by Freud that occurs during early childhood (ages 3 to 6).
Therefore, the features of middle childhood are A, C, and E.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct option representing middle childhood features is (C).