Ch 10 Social and personality development in middle childhood

What is psychosocial development?

Development that encompasses changes both in the understandings individuals have of themselves as members of society and in their comprehension of the meaning of others’ behavior

What is industry-versus-inferiority stage?

The period from ages 6 to 12 characterized by a focus on efforts to attain competence in meeting the challenges presented by parents, peers, school, and the other complexities of the modern world.

What is the success in industry-versus-inferiority stage?

Feelings of mastery and proficiency and a growing sense of competence.

What is failure in industry-versus-inferiority stage?

Feelings of failure and inadequacy.

How does the mindset change in the self-concept understanding of self-look?

Shifting focus from external characteristics to internal, psychological traits

What is an example of self-concept change from the age of 6 years and 10 years old?

–Recall: 6-year-old might define self as a great builder (external characteristic)

–10-year-old defining self as nice (internal characteristic)

What do the spheres of self-concept include?

Physical: physical ability and physical appearance

Academic: english, history, math, science

Social: peers, significant others

Emotional: particular emotional states

What is social comparison?

The desire to evaluate one’s own behavior, abilities, expertise, and opinions by comparing them to those of others.

According to Festinger 1954 what do people turn to in order to evaluate themselves?

Social reality

What is social reality?

Understanding that is derived from how others act, think, feel, and view the world.

What is self-esteem?

An individual’s overall and specific positive and negative self-evaluation.

If someone’s self-esteem is positive what do they believe?

They believe they are relatively good at most things.

If someone’s self-esteem is negative, what might they believe?

They feel they are relatively inadequate at most things.

How does self-concept reflect compared to esteem?

Beliefs and cognitions about the self, whereas esteem is more emotionally oriented.

When does self-esteem increase?

During middle childhood.

When does the brief decline in self-esteem occur?

Age 12, it tends to coincide with change from to high school and gradually rise again.

What happens to children with chronically low self-esteem?

They may become enmeshed in a cycle of failure (vs. cycle of success)

How can parents help break the cycle of failure?

By promoting their child’s self-esteem. 

How does self-esteem look between white and black children?

White children initially show higher self-esteem than Black children, Black children begin to show slightly higher self-esteem than White children around the age of 11 as they become more identified with their group.

How does self-esteem look in Hispanic children?

They show an increase in self-esteem toward the end of middle childhood but continues to trail that of Whites in adolescence.

How does self-esteem look in Asian American children?

It is higher than Whites and Blacks in elementary school, but by the end of childhood is lower than that of Whites.

What is social identity theory?

A theory that predicts certain intergroup behaviors on basis of perceived status, legitimacy, and permeability of the intergroup environment.

What does Lawrence Kohlberg suggest the responses to moral dilemma reveal?

The stage of moral development attained.

What does Lawrence Kohlberg theory propose?

People move through periods of moral development in a fixed order and that they are unable to reach the highest stage until adolescence.

What does Kohlberg suggest about moral development?

Moral development emerges in a three-level sequence, subdivided into six stages.

What are the 3 substages Kohlberg believes fit into moral development?

1. Preconvention morality

2. Conventional morality’

3. Postconvention morality

What is preconventional morality?

(Stages 1 and 2) people follow rigid rules based on punishments or rewards.

What is conventional morality?

(Stages 3 and 4) people approach problems in terms of their own position as good, responsible members of society.

What is postconventional morality?

(Stages 5 and 6) people invoke universal moral principles that are considered broader than the rules of a particular society.

What does Carol Gilligan suggest about how boys and girls morality?

Boys and girls are raised leads to differences in moral reasoning.

According to carol Gilligan how do boys view morality?

In terms of justice and fairness.

According to carol Gilligan how do girls view morality?

In terms of responsibility, willingness to sacrifice, and compassion.

According to Carol Gilligan how does morality develop in females?

In 3 different stages

–Orientation toward individual survival

–Goodness as self-sacrifice

–Morality of nonviolence

What is the orientation toward individual survival stage?

Initial concentration is on what is practical and best for self. Gradual transition from selfishness to responsibility, which includes thinking about what would be best for others.

What is the goodness as self-sacrifice stage?

Initial view is that a woman must sacrifice her own wishes for what other people want. Gradual transition from “goodness” to “truth,” which takes into account needs of both self and others.

What is the morality of nonviolence stage?

A moral equivalence is established between self and others. Hurting anyone—including oneself—is seen as immoral. Most sophisticated form of reasoning, according to Gilligan.

What is an example of the 1st stage of Gilligan’s moral development of women?

A first grader may insist on playing only games of her own choosing when playing with a friend.

What is an example of the 2nd stage of Gilligan’s moral development of women?

Now older, the same girl may believe that to be a good friend, she must play the games her friend chooses, even if she herself doesn’t like them.

What is an example of the 3rd stage of Gilligan’s moral development of women?

The same girl may realize that both friends must enjoy their time together and look for activities that both she and her friend can enjoy.

What do friendships in middle childhood provide?

• information about the world and themselves

• emotional support

What do friendships in middle childhood facilitate?

The development of emotion understanding and emotion regulation.

What are friendships in middle childhood a training ground for?

For communicating and interacting with others.

What do you foster during a middle childhood?

Intellectual growth by increasing range in experiences.

Are friendships more important than parents and other family members relationships?

No, they are not more important.

What is the first stage of friendship according to Damon & Hart?

(4-7): Basing Friendship on Others’ Behaviors.  Friendship with those who are like them and share interests.

What is the second stage of friendship according to Damon & Hart?

(8-10): Basing Friendship on Trust. Taking others’ personal qualities and traits into consideration.

What is the thirds stage of friendship according to Damon & Hart?

(11-15): Basing Friendship on Psychological Closeness. Sharing personal thoughts and feelings through mutual disclosure.

How do children’s friendships typically sort themselves out?

According to popularity.

How are friendships for popular children?

•tend to form friendships with more popular individuals

•have more friends and interact with greater number of other children

•Tend to form cliques (groups that are viewed as exclusive and desirable)

How are friendships for less popular students?

They are more likely to have friends who are less popular.

What do friendships show?

Hierarchies in terms of status.

What is status?

The evaluation of a role or person by other relevant members of a group

Who do children form friendships with?

With others of the same status.

What do higher status children tend to have?

Greater access to resources, are more likely to form cliques, and tend to interact with a greater number of children.

What is social competence?

The collection of social skills that permit individuals to perform successfully in social settings.

What are some characteristics of popular children?

–Friendly, open, and cooperative. 

–Good sense of humor and appreciation of humor. 

–Understand nonverbal behavior and emotional experiences.

How does popularity look like in boys?

• One subset of popular boys displays an array of negative behaviors (e.g., aggression and disruptiveness).

• May be viewed as boldly breaking the rules that others feel constrained to follow

What is social problem-solving?

The use of strategies for solving social conflicts in ways that are satisfactory both to oneself and to others.

How are popular children seen at solving social problem-solving abilities?

•better at interpreting others’ behavior accurately

•possess a wider inventory of techniques for dealing with social problems

How are unpopular children seen at solving social problem-solving abilities?

•less effective at interpreting others’ behavior accurately

•possess a limited inventory of techniques for dealing with social problems

•may develop learned helplessness, may feel they have little or no ability to improve their situation

What is bullying?

Unwanted, aggressive behavior among children that involves real or perceived power imbalance.

What are the 4 types of bullying?

–Verbal bullying, such as name-calling

–Physical bullying, or actual aggression

–Relational bullying, or social attacks

–Cyberbullying, via electronic devices and media

How do boys tend to interact with friends?

• interact in groups.

• tend to be more concerned with their place and attempt to maintain or improve status in their dominance hierarchy.

How do girls tend in interact with their friends?

• Girls tend to pair off.

• Girls tend to maintain equal-status relationship and focus on one or two friends as “best friends.”

• Girls tend to smooth over disagreements, making social interaction easy and nonconfrontational.

What can contact between majority and minority groups reduce?

Prejudice and discrimination.

What is coregulation?

A period in which parents and children jointly control children’s behavior.

How is family life during middle years of childhood?

Children spend significantly less time with their parents than in earlier years.

How are parents viewed during middle childhood years?

A significant influence, e.g., essential assistance, advice, and direction

How are siblings viewed during middle childhood years?

An important influence on children during middle childhood, for good (support, companionship, and a sense of security) and for bad Sibling rivalry

What is sibling rivalry?

Siblings competing or quarreling with one another.  Rivalry is most intense for those in sibship and of the same sex.

How are only children viewed during middle childhood years?

Well-adjusted as those with siblings.  They might have higher self-esteem, and stronger motivation to achieve.

What are self-care children?

Children who let themselves into their homes after school and wait alone until their caretakers return from work.

What is another name for self-care children?

latchkey children

What may self-care children develop?

An enhanced sense of autonomy and valuable time for decompression.

What is the good adjustment of children related to?

Psychological adjustment of the parents

–especially mothers and, in particular, mothers’ satisfaction with choices made.

When parents divorce when the child is young what does the child think?

Young school-age children tend to blame themselves.

When parents divorce when the child is older what does the child think?

Older school-age children tend to feel pressure to choose sides.

What is the short-term consequences of divorce for children?

Anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, or phobias.

What is the long-term consequences of divorce for children?

Most children begin to return to their pre-divorce state of psychological adjustment.

How might divorce be beneficial?

If parental strife lessens; particularly if positive relationships are maintained between parents and children.

What is the impact of being raised in a single parent family depend on?

–Family economic status

–Amount of time that parent is able to spend with the child

–Degree of stress in the household

What is a blended family?

A remarried couple that has at least one stepchild living with them

What is role ambiguity?

Where roles and expectations are unclear, may make living in blended family challenging for children.

What are examples of role ambiguity?

–Uncertain about their responsibilities.

–How to behave towards stepparents and stepsiblings.

–How to make decisions related to role in family.

How does the most successful blending of families occur?

– When parents create an environment that supports children’s self-esteem

–When parents create a climate in which all family members feel a sense of togetherness

What do families in poverty face?

–having fewer basic everyday resources

–have more disruptions in children’s lives

–experience stress of difficulty family environments

What are economically disadvantaged children at risk for?

poorer academic performance, higher rates of aggression, conduct problems, and mental health problems.