Ch.14 - Social influences

The family as a system and the biderectional influence and Indigenous Perspectives

Parents and children influence each other reciprocally—families operate as interconnected systems where each member affects all others

Example: Bidirectional Influence

A fussy infant increases parental stress, leading to less responsive caregiving, which may intensify the infant's distress—creating a feedback loop that affects the entire family system

Indigenous Perspectives

Extended family and community play central roles in collectivist child- rearing approaches, with multiple caregivers involve

Parenting Styles Framework

Four Parenting Styles

Socioeconomic Impac

• Higher-SES parents use more authoritative practices with explanations and

negotiation.

• Lower-SES parents may adopt authoritarian approaches due to environmental stressors and safety concerns in high-risk neighborhood

Three Key Parenting Behaviors

Chronic parental conflict harms children through

• Increased stress and anxiety

• Modeling poor conflict resolution

• Disrupted attachment security

• Academic and behavioral problems

Good Co-Parenting Quality involves (3) + what is the positive outcome

Effective co-parenting involves:

1. coordination,

2. mutual support,

3. shared goals for children's development

Positive outcomes: Parents who present a united front and support each other's decisions promote child security and competence

how does Work-related stress affect parenting?

impacts parenting quality. Parents experiencing job stress show reduced warmth and increased harsh discipline

Children's Contributions to Parenting

1. Age-Related Changes

As children mature, parents adjust control levels and grant more autonomy—

responding to developmental capabilities and growing independence ne

Children's Contributions to Parenting

2. Temperament Effect

Parents may become less affectionate and more controlling with "difficult" temperament children, creating reciprocal negative patterns

Children's Contributions to Parenting → research evidence and implication?

Bell and Chapman (1986) demonstrated that child behavior influences parenting as much as parenting influences child behavior—a truly reciprocal relationship where causation flows both way

Implication: Interventions should target parent-child interaction patterns, not just parental behavior in isolation

The Impact of Divorce on Children → Short-Term Effect (4)

• Academic difficulties and lower grades

• Behavioral problems and aggression

• Emotional distress and anxiety

• Disrupted peer relationship

what are the key factors (3) in the negative effect from divorce?

• Parental absence and reduced contact

• Economic hardship

• Ongoing parental conflict

The Impact of Divorce on Children → Long-Term Effect

While overall risk of problems is higher, the majority of children do not experience long-term negative effects from divorce, especially when conflict is reduced and both parents remain involved

Blended Families → common challenges (4)

• Establishing new family roles

• Loyalty conflicts for children

• Stepparent-stepchild relationships

• Managing different parenting style

Blended Families → success factors (4)

• Equal treatment of all children

• Gradual relationship building

• Clear communication about expectations

• Strong couple relationship

Blended Families → critical issue

Preferential treatment of biological children over stepchildren almost always leads to family conflict and unhappiness. Successful blended families require effort and commitment to treating all children fairly

The Role of Grandparents → Five Grandparenting Style

1. Influential: Active guidance and authority

2. Supportive: Emotional support, occasional help

3. Authority-oriented: Discipline-focused

4. Passive: Minimal involvement

5. Detached: Little to no contact

the role of grandparents for immigrants and indigenous ppl

Immigrants

• Grandparents often take on central parenting roles, providing cultural continuity and language transmission

indigenous

• First Nations grandmothers are often very closely involved in raising grandchildren and transmitting traditional knowlegde

LGBTQ+ Parents

Research findings: No indication that gay and lesbian parents are less effective than heterosexual parents.

Children develop similarly regardless of parental sexual orientation. Good parenting skills matter most

Adopted Children

• Most adopted children develop within the typical range.

• Problems most likely when adopted after infancy and when pre-adoption care was poor.

• Open adoption increasingly common and beneficial

Indigenous Adoption Consideration

Maintaining cultural connections is critical for adopted Indigenous children. The "Sixties Scoop" demonstrated the harm of removing children from their cultural communities

Birth Order and Development

Important Note : These are general trends. Family dynamics and parenting quality matter more than birth order alone

Peer Interaction Development in early childhood (2-5 years)

• Parallel play: Playing alongside but not with

• Associative play: Similar activities, some interaction

• Cooperative play: Coordinated, shared goals

Solitary Play

Solitary play supports cognitive development including divergent thinking and creativity. Not all alone play is problematim

Role of Attachment in peer interaction development

Secure maternal attachment predicts more positive peer relationships. Children with secure attachments show greater social competence and empathy with peers

Friendship Across Development

Early childhood: Based on shared activities and proximity

Middle childhood: Trust and reciprocity emerge

Adolescence: Intimacy, self-disclosure, loyalty

Key shift: From concrete to abstract qualities

Cross-Ethnic Friendship

More common in smaller classes and ethnically diverse schools. Promote positive intergroup attitude

benefits of friendship across development (4)

1. Higher self-esteem,

2. better school adjustment,

3. emotional support during stress

4. social skills development

potential risks of friendship

1. Peer pressure toward deviance

2. Co-rumination (excessive problem discussion)

3. Exclusion of others

4. Mutual reinforcement of negative behavior

Co-Rumination

Excessive, repetitive discussion of problems without problem-solving. Common in adolescent girl friendships. Associated with anxiety and depression despite strengthening friendships

Sexual exploration is an important part of romantic relationships in early adolescence. These relationships serve multiple developmental purpose (4):

1. Identity exploration and self-understanding

2. Intimacy skills development

3. Peer status and social acceptance

4. Sexual identity formation

When Peer Influence Is Strongest (4)

• Youth are younger and more socially anxious

• Peers have higher status in the hierarchy

• Peers are close friends rather than acquaintances

• Standards for appropriate behavior are unclear

Dominance Hierarchie

Most groups have clear status rankings. High-status members have more influence over group norms and activities

Five Peer Status Categories (5)

1. Popular: Well-liked by many peers

2. Rejected: Actively disliked by peers

3. Controversial: Both liked and disliked

4. Neglected: Neither liked nor disliked; ignored

5. Average: Moderate acceptance

Consequences of rejection?

Repeated rejection predicts academic problems, delinquency, and mental health issues in adolescence and adulthood

Interventions for popularity and rejection

Teaching social skills (sharing, cooperation, communication) can improve peer acceptance and reduce rejection

Quality Childcare and Development

• High-quality childcare has positive effects on cognitive and social-emotional development, especially for children from low-income families.

• Quality characteristics include low child-to-staff ratios, educated and trained caregivers, and enriching, age-appropriate activity

After-School Activities

• Children and adolescents who participate in structured after-school activities show better adjustment, higher self-esteem, and greater likelihood of pursuing post-secondary education.

• Youth who care for themselves after school are at higher risk for behavioral problem

Neighborhood Effects

• Children living in economically advantaged and stable neighborhoods tend to perform better academically and have fewer behavioral and emotional problems.

• Neighborhood impact is transmitted indirectly through parents, peers, and social institutions like schools and community centers

Effective Schools

Successful schools share key characteristics:

1. strong academic excellence orientation,

2. safe and nurturing climate,

3. active parent involvement,

4. systematic progress monitoring.

Research shows school quality matters as much as or more than family socioeconomic status.

Teacher Quality Matters

• Teacher expertise, warmth, and high expectations are critical factors in student success.

• Effective teachers use varied instructional methods, provide frequent constructive feedback, and maintain well-organized classrooms that promote lear

Child Maltreatment

• When children are abused or neglected, their social, emotional, and intellectual development is often significantly affected.

• Adults who experienced abuse as children show higher rates of mental health problems and may perpetuate the cycle. Contributing factors include cultural attitudes, poverty, parental stress, and child characteristics

Prevention and Intervention (5)

Preventing child maltreatment requires multi-level approaches:

1. changing societal attitudes toward corporal punishment,

2. reducing poverty and family stress,

3. providing comprehensive parenting education,

4. teaching coping skills,

5. ensuring accessible social support networks