PSYCH 223 | Social & Personality development in middle childhood

What is the big focus of middle childhood

social interactions and its effects on development and self-percieved competence

describe height on both genders at 11 yrs

girls are 144 cm and boys are 143 only period where girls are taller than boys

whhat is the 2 factors in assesing children? what domains does learning disorder affect

early recognition (neural plasticity is at maximum so early intervention is useful)

remediation (intervention taking place)

writing

reading 

maths 

describe Dyslexia as a learnign disorder

difficulty in reading

most common specific learning disorder

apparent in 4th grade

challenges in math/ written expresion

need high level of effort to achieve average grades 

somtimes become disruptive/ demoralized

what is language disorder

persistent challenges in acquiring or using language and other forms of communication 

hard use/ understand language

what is speech sound disorder

hard in pronounciation 

phonemic disorder 

what is Childhood Onset Fluency Disorder

stuttering

what is social communication disorder

hard with communication and language skills

what are the cause of learning disorder

genetic 

abnormalities in brain structure and functioning 

environmental factors

what do they use to treat communication disorder

therapy

Individualize Program Plan (educational plan with disabilities and special needs)

what are the 3 types of ADHD

inattentive presentation (get bored easily; girls)

hyperactive / impulsive presentation (constantly in motion; BOYS)

combined presentation (both)

describe the traits of ADHD

males are 2x more likely to be diagnoses

diagnoses in elementary (challenges in school and drops out or difficulty in friends)

comorbid with learning disorders (some with conduct disorder, substance abuse, or break the law)

what are biological and psychological factors of ADHD

genes impact dopamine, nonadrelanine, and serotonin (abnormalities in ADHD)

prenatal and birth complications are also associated 

belong in families in hostile and aggressive behavior 

what treatment for ADHD

stimulant drugs like:

Ritalin: cause nervousness, anxiety, insomnia

Adderall: bladder pain, irregular heartbeat, lower back pain 

antidepressant meds (anxiety and depressive disorders can be common with ADHD)

behavioral therapy can be effective

COMBINED is the best 

what does Autism Spectrum Disorder affect

social interactions/ communication:

difficulty with empathy (theory of mind) and using facial expressions

can first appear in infant/ toddler interactions (less affection and joint attention (important langauge acquisition))

develops language acquisition late

restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviors:
preoccupied with one feature 

routines/ rituals are VERY important 

stimming 

what are diagnosis on ASD and its consequence

have challenges in intellectual ability

verbal skills: strong predictor on long term outcomes (hard to communicate w/ people)

savants ASD: makes ASD people smart (eg. in math; 1/10 have them)

can be comorbid with fragile syndrome and PKU

symptoms is onset in early childhood (2 years)
DSM only has one defintion

who is Leo Kanner

1943

psychiatrist who was the first to describe autism 

believed that it was caused by poor parenting and biological factors (partially right since genes in twin studies shows 60%)

no single gene is responsible 

what are contributors to ASD

neurological factors play a role

structural abnormalities:

cerebellum (smaller)

cerebrum  (reduction of white matter (myaelinated that assists with neural conduction))

amygdala and hippocampus are LARGE 

some develop seizures (due to neurotical dysfunction)

what are treatments for ASD

drug treatment that improves:
overactivity 

stereotyped behaviors

sleep disturbances

tension

SSRI (reduce aggressive/ repetitive behaviors)

atypical antipsychotic reduced obsessive behavior 

no unified perspective in approaches for treatment 

what are psychosocial treatment for ASD

behavioral technique and structured educational services 

behavioral treatment models 

operant conditioning helps reduce ritualistic behavior, aggression, tantrum 

caregivers are taught behavioral tech at home (needs to be consistent) significant results if also applied in school

who is Dr. Temple Grandin

professor of animal science in Colorado

diagnosed w/ autism in 1949

thinks ASD people are creative 

what are 4 different levels of Intellectual Development DIsorder

mild

moderate

severe

profound 

what is mild in Intellectual Disorder

some limitations

immature but can take care of themselves

what is Moderate in Intellectual Disorder

delays in language acquistion

physically clumsy (in dressing/ feeding themselves)

adults can hold down elementary school lvl jobs but still need assistance

what is Severe in Intellectual Disorder

limited vocab

kids have challenge in motor development 

adults can feed and dress if simple 

significant support in daily living 

what is profound in Intellectual Disorder

sensory/ motor impairment and limits them

socially can understand simple instructions but strong dependence on others 

what are the 3 domains that Intellectual Disorder affects

conceptual domain: challenge in language/ reasoning, memory, problem solving

social domain: intrapersonal communication, ability to make friends, regulating reactions 

practical domain: deficits in managing personal care (hygeine, job, personal care, etc.)

how do they use intelligence test to measure impairment

if they score 2 standard deviation BELOW (70 and below)

measures: verbal comprehension, working memory, perceptual reasoning, quantitative reasoning, abstract though, processing speed

not good to only use it by utself (there are other domains that’s a factor)

what are biological causes in Intellectual Development Disorder

chromosomal disorder

gestational disorders

exposure to toxins prenatally/ childhood 

infections 

brain injury/ malformation

metabolism problems 

seizure disorders 

how do sociocultural factors

low socioeconomic backgrounds are a risk factor for ID

poor caregivers have premature birth 

higher rates to lead exposure 

no time for nourishment 

what are medicine treatments for ID

drug therapy:

reduce seizure (common with ID)

control aggressive behavior (neuralleptic reduce anti social behavior)

control self harm behavior (atypical antipsychotic)

improve mood (anti depressant)

what are behaviroal treatments for ID

increase positive behavior and reduce negative behavior by caregiver and teacher 

communication and social skills can be taugh

social programs (early intervention program (1 v 1) to nurture development of skills)

mainstreaming (inclusion of special ed w/ normal kids; higher performance but can be bullied)

group homes 

what is Piaget’s concrete operational stage

piaget’s third stage of cognitive development

construct schemes that allow them to think logically about objects 

conservation (can distinguish appearance to reality)

what are 4 concepts in concret operations

decentration

reversibility

inductive logic

deductive logic

what is decentration

takes more than one variable into account

clayball flattened is wider but shorter 

what is reversibility

having understanding that physical actions and mental operations can be reversed 

most critical 

pre-operational children has irreversibility 

difference between inductive vs. deductive logic

inductive is reasoning where general principles are inferred from specific experience (make assumptions; maid = rich)

deductive is reasoning based on hypothetical premises where it predicts specific outcome from a general principle (all dolphins are mammals and all mammals have kidneys)

describe information processing in middle childhood

short term and working memory improves 

metamemory: thinkin abouit memory (mental tricks like rehearsing to improve memory) 

describe advancement in language development in middle childhood

organize mental vocab in new ways

vocab increase

metalinguistic awareness (helps comprehension when info is incomplete; knowledge about language)

syntax and pragmatics 

what is bilingualism

speak more than one language

associated with cognitive advantages 

cognitive flexibility (easier time learning a second language) but vocab score is lower 

great metalinguistic awareness

what is a constructive approach

learner centered

emphasizes importance of students constructing knowledge 

importance of understanding using guidance

directionist approach makes kids passive (no critical thinking)

what is a direct instruction approach

teacher centered

emphasizes structure where teacher has both direction and control

maximize student learning time 

all schools 

constructivist does not give content in science or history

Erik Erikson: middle childhood conflict

time that children have conflict between industry and inferiority

6-12

outcome results in industriousness (hard wokring)

they compare themselves to other kids (success= feelings of mastery)

challenges can lead to inadequacy (less determination)

Industry vs. Inferiority

Erikson's stage between 6 and 12 years, when the child learns to be productive and develops a sense of self competence. However if they do not there gain a sense of inferiority

what is self esteem

emotionally salient global evaluations of the self

increasingly compare themselves to others (have own standards for success)

high in middle school (social media detoriates self esteem)

at age 7 they have a global and simple view of self

positive makes them excel while negative leads to a self fulfilling prophecy

authoritative parenting style can promote self esteem

why does self esteem drop in 13-17

social comparison and media

loss of childhood = low self esteem

social media standars (too hight) = low self esteem

what is Piaget’s theory on moral thought

heteronomous morality

autonomous morality 

what is heteronomous morality

4-7 years

children views justice and rules as aunchangeable elements of the world 

judges the goodness of behavior 

believes in imminent justice (punish immediately)

what is autonomous morality

10+ years

children gain an understanding that rules/ laws are made by people and can be changed 

now consider intentions and consequences when judging actions (punishment will only occur if someone witnesses it; it is not inevitable)

what are the 3 levels of Kohlberg’s theory on morality 

preconventional

conventional

postconventional 

explain Kohlberg’s theory

development to another level is contingent on experiences/ conflict in moral reasoning

scaffolding

morality is internalized 

advance in cognitive does not mean advancement in morality 

describe Kohlberg’s preconventional

stage 1:

heteronomous morality

moral thinking is bound to external rewards/ punishment  (obey = reward)

stage 2:

individualism, instrumental purpose and exchange 

pursuit own’s interest is the right thing to do

eg. if they are nice I will be nice

describe Kohlberg’s conventional

stage 3:
mutual interpersonal expectations, relationship and interpersonal conformity 

standard set by others (parents/ gov’t) 

most adolescent are here

moral judgement is trust and loyalty to others

stage 4:

social systems morality

understand social order, law, justice and duty

laws need to be adhered for the community to function

describe Kohlberg’s post conventional 

individuals recognize alternative moral courses (have alternatives and follow personal moral code)

important for revolution 

stage 5:

social contract or utility and individual rights

values and rights transcend the law (evaluate law if it protects human rights)

only 10% reach this stage in their 20s (sacrifice own freedom on what is right)

stage 6:
universal ethical principles

moral standards are based on human rights 

if there is conflict with the law yiou believe own moral code

what are some criticism in Kohlberg’s theory

By Carol Giligan

too much emphasis on moral thought and not moral behavior 

generalizability across cultures is questionable

underestimated role of care givers in moral development

gender bias (females have more dillemmas and based it on observation

what are peer statuses

popular

average (like and dislike)

neglected (not nominated as best friend but rarely disliked); low rates of interaction

rejected (not nominated as best friend and disliked by peers)

contreversial (nominated as best friend and actively disliked)

high status befriends high status and vice versa

bullying in middle childhood

-becoming increasingly common 1/3 children

boys are more likely to be a bully

cause depression and suicide

bullies engage in anti social behavior and criminal activity larer in life

-cyber bullying becoming very common

describe cyber bullying

aggressive, repeated and intentional actors that has imbalance of power

3-6 graders being a victim relates to loneliness, lower self esteem and popularity

seen as less threatening and not retaliate

supportive friends lower victimization

peak during middle school