child develop- chap 12 The Self and Identity

self understanding

- a persons cognitive representation of the self-the substance and content of their self conceptions
-based on the roles and membership categories that define who people are
-self understanding changes over time

infancy and self understanding

challenging to study; infants can't tell us about their experiences; Rubber Hand Illusion, Rouge Test/Mirror Test

early childhood and self understanding

-concrete descriptions
-phsyical descriptions
-active descriptions
-unrealistic positive overestimations

middle and late childhood and self understanding

-Psychological characteristics and traits
-Social descriptions
-Social comparisons
Real self and desired self
-Realistic

adolescence and self understanding

-Abstract and idealistic
-Self-consciousness
-Contradictions within the self
-Fluctuating self
-Real and ideal self
-Social comparison
-Self-integration

ability to empathize with others

can be developed through talking with kids about their internal states and helping them think about how others might feel (perspective taking)

educational benefits of sesame street

sesame street designed to prepare kids for school
-letters, numbers and cooperation
-incorporated research on what kids needed to succeed in school
-test the shows on focus groups

understanding others in later childhood

Increasing ability to take the perspective of others

Important part of the development of prosocial and antisocial attitudes/behaviors

understanding others in adolescence

perspective taking
-affects interactions with friends
-affects interaction with minority groups

self esteem

a person worth or self image

self concept

domain-specific evaluations of the self

increasing self esteem

concern that kids are getting empty praise; praise for poor performance; difficulty handling criticism

boosting self esteem in healthy ways

- Identify areas that are important to the child, that they are competent in
- Provide emotional support and approval for that area
- Praise achievement in that area
- Encourage coping in that area

identity

-vocation
-political
-religious
-relationship
-achievement
-sexual/gender
-cultural/ethnic
-interests
-personality
-physical identity

Erik Erikson and identity

5th developmental stage: Identity versus Identity Confusion ("psychosocial moratorium"); success: new sense of self; failure: identity confusion; importance of guidance and feedback from knowledgeable adults

james marcia and identity

4 ways to resolve the time of identity crisis/exploration propesed be erikson
-identity diffusion
-identity foreclosure
-identity moratorium
-identity achievement

identity diffusion

no crisis, no commitment

identity foreclosure

commitment in the absence of crisis

identity moratorium

in a crisis, but commitments are vaguely defined

identity achievement

have been through a crisis and made a commitment