Chapter 13 Self Concept, Coping, and Family Dynamics in Middle Childhood

A comprehensive set of 75 vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts related to self-concept, coping mechanisms, family structures, and moral development during middle childhood.

Self concept

Ideas about oneself, including intelligence, personality, abilities, gender, and ethnic background.

Middle Childhood Years

Characterized by steady growth, brain maturation, and intellectual advances.

Erikson’s Stage: Industry versus Inferiority

A stage where children judge themselves as competent or incompetent.

Social Comparison

The tendency to assess oneself against others, especially peers.

Resilience

The capacity to adapt well to significant adversity and overcome serious stress.

Coping

Measures taken to reduce the impact of repeated stress.

Peer Relationships

Crucial during middle childhood, closely linked to self-concept.

Emotional Drives (Freud)

In the latency period, emotional drives are quiet and sexual conflicts are submerged.

Cumulative Stress

Repeated stresses and daily hassles that may challenge resilience.

Parentification

When a child acts more like a parent than a child, feeling responsible for the family.

Importance of Family Function

Families provide basic needs and support for children's learning and development.

Family Structure

Legal and genetic relationships among relatives living together.

Nuclear Family

A family unit consisting of two parents and their children.

Custody Disputes

Conflicts regarding who has legal responsibility for a child post-divorce.

Shared Environment

The environments that influence children raised by the same parents.

Nonshared Environment

Experiences that children have that differ, even within the same family.

Single-parent Family

A family structure consisting of only one parent raising children.

Stepparent Family

A family where one parent has remarried and has children from a previous relationship.

Grandparent Family

A family where grandparents are the primary caregivers of grandchildren.

Cohabiting Families

Families where parents live together without being legally married.

Divorce in Families

A process that can significantly affect children's welfare and stability.

Economic Stability and Family Function

Families with higher income generally function better and provide more stability.

Conflict in Families

Disputes among family members, especially concerning child-rearing practices.

Child Culture

The unique set of rules and values that distinguish children's social interactions.

Psychosocial Growth

Developmental outcomes associated with friendships during middle childhood.

Bullying

Repeated efforts to inflict harm on a weaker individual through various means.

Types of Bullying

Includes physical, verbal, relational, and cyberbullying.

Kohlberg’s Levels of Moral Thought

Three levels of moral reasoning: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional.

Prosocial Behavior

Actions intended to benefit others without personal gain.

Moral Values

Guiding principles that influence children’s judgments about right and wrong.

Moral Judgment

The process of determining the morality of actions based on various factors.

Empathy in Children

The ability to understand and share the feelings of others.

Social Perceptiveness

Awareness of others' feelings and social dynamics, increasing in middle childhood.

Intentions and Consequences

Factors increasingly considered in children’s moral reasoning during middle childhood.

Child and Adult Morality

Children’s moral values may differ from societal or adult standards.

Friends' Influence

Peer relationships can significantly shape moral development.

Developmentally Appropriate Practices

Methods that consider the developmental stages and cultural backgrounds of children.

Significance of Stable Environments

Stable family structures contribute to better developmental outcomes for children.

Community Support in Child Resilience

Local networks provide essential backing for children’s emotional well-being.

Challenges in Family Dynamics

Adversities such as poverty and high conflict increase family dysfunction.

Adaptation to Stress

Ability to manage and bounce back from stressful situations.

Daily Routines in Family

Regular activities that provide stability and security for children.

Religion and Support Systems

Faith can offer social support and enhance coping strategies.

Cognitive Skills in Middle Childhood

Increased abilities to process information and engage in problem-solving.

Reading Social Cues

Understanding non-verbal signals from peers and caregivers.

Communication and Connection in Families

Open dialogue fosters understanding and harmony among family members.

Non-traditional Family Structures

Includes diverse arrangements like single-parent, stepparent, and extended family scenarios.

Parental Alliance

The cooperative management of parenting responsibilities between adults.

Psychological Growth

Progress in emotional and cognitive capacities throughout childhood.

Commitment in Relationships

The level of dedication parents show towards their children’s well-being.

Childhood Adversities

Circumstances that can hinder a child's emotional and developmental progress.

Peer Acceptance

The extent to which a child is received and valued by their peer group.

Supportive Networks

Family and friends acting as buffers against life’s stresses.

Friendship Dynamics

The changing nature of peer relationships through childhood.

Coping Strategies

Techniques developed to handle stress and emotional challenges effectively.

Conflict Resolution Skills

Abilities to resolve disputes constructively and peacefully.

School Success and Social Development

Academic achievement linked to social interactions and relationships.

Cultural Variability in Families

Diverse practices and beliefs across different family structures.

Youth Identity Formation

The evolving understanding of self that occurs during middle childhood.