Between the ages of seven and twelve, the crisis of mastery versus inferiority emerges. The need for mastery arises in two areas. There is a need to master academic challenges and a corresponding need to master social challenges.

Mastery in academics is possible during these years because children are developmentally ready for active learning and are able to focus their attention. They are also more capable of social success at this age. All-boy groups and all-girl groups are typical. There is more freedom from home control and more chance to learn how to interact with others.

Children who are not successful in their efforts to master the academic and social challenges usually experience a painful sense of inferiority when they are out in the world. They feel very awkward instead of competent. If they feel awkward, they may withdraw from interaction with peers and become loners, using their time as bookworms or TV addicts. Later in life, such a person may have few (or no) friends, may work at something that calls for being alone, and may continue to feel inferior to others and not know what to do about it.

Some children who feel inferior begin to act in aggressive or delinquent ways, cutting school or failing academically. Later, they may continue delinquent behavior. Children who succeed socially and fail academically may continually seek out others. They may feel incompetent at making choices and may only do so with others who are willing to lead while they follow.

Building a sense of competence can be very difficult. For example, the person who feels inferior in academics may need to develop sports abilities or interests in various hobbies. The person who feels inferior in interpersonal relations may need to join some kind of program that provides opportunities for a gradual emerging of social skills. People with very high intelligence sometimes decide to focus their interests in areas in which they are most competent. They may recognize, painfully, that the number of people they can relate to at an intense intellectual level is not as high as they wish.

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