Middle childhood – Social and Emotional Development Chapter 9

Erikson Theory

Industry v. Inferiority – children attempt to master many skills, developing a sense of themselves as either competent or incompetent

Self-concept and what it includes

Oneself

• Groups, traits, interests
• Social comparisons –measurement of one’s
attributes against those of peers

Self-esteem

feelings about the self

Resilience

capacity to adapt well to significant adversity and to overcome serious stress. (balance of risk and
protective factors)

Judith Rich Harris and her Group Socialization theory

central idea is that parents’ importance in
shaping their children’s development has been greatly exaggerated

believes that adult personality characteristics are shaped the peer group rather than parents

Two big factors affecting family functioning

Low income – low SES as a risk factor
• Single parent families, extended family
High Conflict – children’s well being can suffer if family members fight
• Blended families

Family Stress Model

effect of any risk factor on a family depends on whether or not it increases stress in the family.

Parentification

when a child feels that
he/she must be a caretaker for parent/siblings

The peer group

Popular
Average
Controversial
Rejected

What makes a kid popular

• In young children – popular children are kind, trustworthy, and cooperative.
• 5th grade and beyond – athletic, cool, dominant, arrogant, and aggressive

Types of unpopular children

• Neglected – ignored, but not actively tormented/shunned
• Aggressive rejected – disliked because they are antagonistic or confrontational
• Withdrawn rejected – disliked because they are timid, withdrawn, and anxious

Social Cognition

ability to understand the causes and
consequences of human behavior and adjust one’s behavior accordingly

Bullying

repeated, systematic attacks intended to harm those
who are unable/unlikely to defend themselves
• Verbal
• Physical
• Relational
• Cyberbullying

Roles associated with Bullies

• Bully-victims – a victim who does things to elicit bullying (attacks others and
is attacked by others)
• Assistants/reinforcers – egg on the bully
• Defenders – stand up to the bully/support victims
• Outsiders – present, but don’t help or hurt
• Victims (withdrawn rejected are likely targets)

Effects of bullying

Mental and physical well being is diminished

Can bullying be stopped?

• Efforts to stop bullying that include bringing bullies and victims together and perspective sharing – tend to make bullying worse
• Bringing bullies together doesn’t work
• Ineffectiveness of punishment (suspension/expulsion)

Kohlberg’s stages of moral development

• Preconventional -- avoid punishment and get rewards
• Little kids = if you get in trouble, what you did was bad/wrong
• Conventional – more emphasis on social rules
• School age = if it breaks a rule/the law, it is bad
• Postconventional – focus is on ideals
• Adolescence and beyond = the greater good, if the ends justify the means