2 - Early Childhood - Psychosocial

Self concept

sense of self; descriptive and evaluative mental picture of one's abilities and traits.

Self definition

cluster of characteristics used to describe oneself.

• real self

• ideal self

"My name is Jason and I live in a big house with my mother and father and sister, Lisa. I have a kitty that's orange and a television set in my own room....I like pizza and I have a nice teacher. I can count up to 100, want to hear me? I love my dog, Skipper. I can climb to the top of the jungle gym, I'm not scared! Just happy. You can't be happy and scared, no way! I have brown hair, and I go to preschool. I'm really strong. I can ift this chair, watch me!"

• He cannot acknowledge that his ______, the person he actually is, is not the same as his ______, the person he would like to be

Self esteem

the judgment a person makes about their self-worth.

achieve

When self-esteem is high, a child is motivated to ______.

contingent on success

However, if self- esteem is _______ (or dependent) ________, they may view failure or criticism as an indictment of their worth and may feel helpless to do better.

non-contingent self esteem

Children with _______ __________, in contrast, tend to attribute failure or disappointment to factors outside themselves or to the need to try harder.

Emotional regulation

helps children guide their behavior and contributes to their ability to get along with others

Initiative vs Guilt

The need to deal with conflicting feelings about the self is at the heart of the third stage of personality development identified by Erik Erikson:

• Preschool children can do-and want to do-more and more, at the same time, they are learning that some of the things they want to do meet social approval whereas others do not.

Gender Identity

awareness, developed in early childhood, of one's gender.

Gender differences

are psychological or behavioral differences between males and females though there are a few measurable differences between baby boys and girls.

• Gender roles

• Gender typing

• Gender stereotypes

Gender Differences (3)

Gender roles

Behaviors, interests, attitudes, skills, and traits that a culture considers appropriate for each sex; differ for males and females.

Gender typing

Socialization process by which children, at an early age, learn appropriate gender roles

Gender stereotypes

Preconceived generalizations about male or female role behavior.

Play

contributes to all domains of development.

• Through ____, children stimulate the senses, exercise their muscles, coordinate sight with movement, gain mastery over their bodies, make decisions, and acquire new skills.

• Biological approach

• Evolutionary

• Psychoanalytic

• Cognitive

• Gender schema theory

• Social learning

Perspectives on Gender development

Biologi approach

Many behavioral differences between the sexes can be traced to biology.

Evolutionary approach

Child develops gender roles in preparation for adult mating and reproductive behavior.

• Charles Darwin

Psychoanalytic approach

Gender identity occurs when the child identifies with the same-sex parent.

• Resolution of unconscious emotional conflict

Cognitive approach

Once a child learns she is a girl or he is a boy, the child sorts information about behavior by gender and acts accordingly

• Self-categorization

Gender Schema Theory

Child organizes information about what is considered appropriate for a boy or a girl on the basis of what a particular culture dictates. 

• Self-categorization based on processing of cultural information

Social Learning approach

Child observes and imitates gendered behavior and is reinforced for appropriate behavior and punished for inappropriate behavior

1. Functional

2. Constructive

3. Dramatic

4. Formal games with rules

There are four (4) cognitive levels of play:

Functional play

Play involving repetitive large muscular movements.

Constructive play

Play involving use of objects or materials to make something.

Dramatic play

Play involving imaginary people or situations; also called pretend play, fantasy play, or imaginative play

Formal games with rules

Organized games with known procedures and penalties.

Mildred Parten

In a classic study, ________ (1932) identified six types of play/ SOCIAL DIMENSION PLAY

• unoccupied behavior

• onlooker behavior

• solitary independent play

• parallel play

• associative play

• cooperative / organized supplementary play

Parten’s Categories of Social and Nonsocial Play (6)

Unoccupied behavior

The child does not seem to be playing but watches anything of momentary interest

Onlooker behavior

The child spends most of the time watching other children play. The onlooker may talk to them but does not enter into the play. .

Solitary independent play

The child plays alone with toys that are different from those used by nearby children

• makes no effort to get close to the other children.

Parallel play

The child plays independently beside rather than with the other children

• playing with similar toys,

• does not try to influence the other children’s play.

Associative play

The child plays with other children.

• there is no organization around a goal

• Each child is interested more in being with the other children than in the activity itself.

Cooperative/Organized supplementary play

The child plays in a group organized for some goal—to make something, play a formal game, or dramatize a situation

• By a division of labor, children take on different roles.

Discipline

methods of molding character and of teaching self-control and acceptable behavior.

• reinforcement & punishment

• inductive reasoning

• power assertion

• withdrawal of love

Discipline Techniques

Reinforcement & punishment

Parent sometimes punishes children to stop undesirable behavior, but children usually learn more from being reinforced for good behavior.

Corporal punishment

Use of physical force with the intention of causing pain, but not injury, so as to correct or control behavior.

Psychological aggression

harm or control another person through non-physical means, such as verbal or emotional manipulation, & threats

Inductive reasoning

Disciplinary techniques designed to induce desirable behavior by appealing to a child’s sense of reason and fairness.

Power assertion

Disciplinary strategy designed to discourage undesirable behavior through physical or verbal enforcement of parental control

• spanking, threats

Withdrawal of love

Disciplinary strategy that involves ignoring, isolating, or showing dislike for a child

Diana Baumrind

Parenting Styles by?

• Authoritarian

• Authoritative

• Permissive

• Neglectful

Baumrind's Parenting Styles (4)

Authoritarian

In Baumrind’s terminology, parenting style emphasizing control and obedience.

Authoritative

Parenting style blending respect for a child’s individuality with an effort to instill social values

• parents have confidence in their ability to guide children, but they also respect children's independent decisions, interests, opinions and personalities.

Permissive

Parenting style emphasizing self-expression and self-regulation.

Neglectful

Parents who (for various reasons) focus on their needs rather than on those of the child.

altruism, curb aggression, & deal with fears

3 (main) issues of special concern to parents, caregivers, and teachers of preschool children are how to promote:

• Prosocial development

• Aggression

SPECIAL BEHAVIORAL CONCERNS