Unit 3.6 Social-Emotional Development Across the Lifespan

Ecological Systems Theory

A theory developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner that emphasizes the importance of different environmental systems, such as family, schools, and society, in influencing human development throughout life.

Microsystem

The smallest and most immediate environment in which a person lives, including relationships with family, peers, and teachers.

Mesosystem

The mesosystem refers to the interactions between different microsystems, such as the relationships and connections between a child's home environment and their school environment.

Exosystem

The exosystem encompasses the broader social systems that influence a person's development indirectly, such as parental workplaces, community services, and the media.

Macrosystem

The macrosystem encompasses the broader cultural, economic, and societal influences that affect an individual's development, including social norms, values, and policies.

Chronosystem

The chronosystem refers to the dimension of time in relation to a child's environments, including life transitions and historical events that influence the trajectory of development over time.

Parenting Styles

The various approaches parents use to raise their children, which can influence their social, emotional, and cognitive development. Common styles include authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and uninvolved.

Authoritatian

A parenting style characterized by high demands and low responsiveness, where parents enforce strict rules and expect obedience without much warmth or feedback.

Authoritative

A parenting style characterized by high responsiveness and high demands, where parents provide support and guidance while also setting clear expectations.

Permissive

A parenting style characterized by high responsiveness and low demands, where parents are lenient and allow considerable self-regulation.

Attachment Styles

Different patterns of attachment between children and their caregivers, often classified as secure, anxious, or avoidant based on the child's response to separation and reunion.

Secure

A type of attachment style where children feel safe and secure, using parents as a secure base to explore the world, characterized by trust and a positive self-image.

Insecure

A type of attachment characterized by anxiety or avoidance, resulting from inconsistent or neglectful caregiving, leading to difficulties in emotional regulation and relationships.

Avoidant

A type of insecure attachment style where children avoid or ignore caregivers, showing little emotional response to them and often displaying a lack of preference between caregivers and strangers.

Anxious

A type of insecure attachment characterized by excessive worry about being loved, leading to clinginess or dependency on caregivers.

Disorganized

A type of insecure attachment where children display a lack of clear attachment behavior, often showing contradictory actions towards caregivers, resulting from fear or confusion in relationships.

Temperament

Refers to the innate traits that influence how one thinks, behaves, and reacts to the environment, often seen as the foundation of personality.

Separation Anxiety

A childhood condition characterized by excessive fear or distress related to separation from primary caregivers, often leading to refusal to attend school or go to sleep alone.

Parallel and Pretend Play with Peers

Types of play in early childhood where children play alongside each other (parallel play) and engage in imaginative play scenarios together (pretend play), fostering social skills and creativity.

Adolescent Thinking

Cognitive development during adolescence marked by abstract reasoning, idealism, and improved problem-solving skills.

Adolescent Egocentrism

A developmental stage where adolescents believe they are the center of attention and have difficulty recognizing others' perspectives, often leading to feelings of invulnerability and uniqueness.

Imaginary Audience

The belief that others are constantly observing and evaluating one's behavior, leading to heightened self-consciousness during adolescence.

Personal Fable

The belief held by adolescents that their experiences and feelings are unique and unlike anyone else's, often resulting in a sense of invulnerability and self-importance.

Social

Desire for belonging and connection with others, often influencing behavior and relationships throughout life.

Clock

A theoretical framework for understanding the timing of social events and transitions in an individual's life, influencing personal and social development.

Emerging Adulthood

A developmental stage occurring roughly between ages 18 and 25, characterized by exploration, identity formation, and a transition into adulthood.

Psychosocial Stages

A theory developed by Erik Erikson, outlining eight stages of human development, each characterized by a central conflict that must be resolved to achieve healthy psychological growth.

Trust and Mistrust

The first stage in Erik Erikson's psychosocial development theory, occurring from birth to about 18 months, where infants learn to trust caregivers for basic needs or develop mistrust if their needs are not consistently met.

Autonomy and Shame/Doubt

The second stage of Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory, occurring between ages 1 and 3, where children learn to develop a sense of personal control over physical skills and a sense of independence.

Initative and Guilt

The third stage in Erik Erikson's psychosocial development theory, occurring from ages 3 to 6, where children start to initiate activities and develop a sense of purpose, or feel guilt over efforts to be more independent.

Industry and Inferiority

The fourth stage of Erik Erikson's psychosocial development, occurring between ages 6 and 12, where children develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments and abilities, facing challenges and criticism from peers and adults.

Identity and Role Confusion

The fifth stage of Erik Erikson's psychosocial development, occurring from ages 12 to 18, where adolescents explore different identities and develop a sense of self, but may experience confusion about their role in society.

Intimacy and Isolation

The sixth stage in Erik Erikson's psychosocial development, occurring in young adulthood, where individuals form intimate relationships and develop a sense of connection or experience isolation when unable to reach this milestone.

Generativity and Stagnation

The seventh stage of Erik Erikson's psychosocial development, occurring during middle adulthood, where individuals strive to create or nurture things that will outlast them, often through parenting or contributing to society, and may feel a sense of stagnation if they fail to achieve these goals.

Integrity and Despair

The eighth stage of Erik Erikson's psychosocial development, occurring in late adulthood, where individuals reflect on their lives and either achieve a sense of integrity by feeling fulfilled and whole or experience despair over unaccomplished goals and regrets.

Identity Statuses

The concept of identity statuses refers to the stages through which individuals progress in their development of personal identity, based on their levels of exploration and commitment to various life choices and beliefs.

Achievement

The accomplishment or attainment of goals, skills, or knowledge, often associated with a sense of success and self-worth.

Diffusion

A state where individuals lack both exploration and commitment to any identity, often resulting in confusion about their sense of self and direction.

Foreclosure

A state where individuals commit to an identity without exploration, often adopting roles and beliefs dictated by parents or authority figures.

Moratorium

A transitional phase in which individuals explore various identities but have not yet made commitments to any, allowing for self-discovery and growth.

Racial/Ethnic Identity

The aspect of an individual's identity related to their racial or ethnic background, involving a sense of belonging and connection to a cultural group.

Sexual Orientation

A person's emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to another person, which may include heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or other orientations.

Religious Identity

The sense of belonging to a specific belief system, including the values and practices associated with that religion.

Occupational Identity

A person's sense of self derived from their profession or career. It encompasses the roles and values associated with one's work.

Familial Identity

A person's sense of belonging and connection to their family, including values, traditions, and dynamics that shape their identity.

Possible Selves

Concepts of what individuals aspire to become or fear becoming in the future, influencing motivation and behavior.