Ch. 10

Erikson’s Theory: Industry versus Inferiority

Industry: sense of competence at skills and tasks

• Positive but realistic self-concept

• Pride in accomplishment

• Developing sense of competence at useful skills; tasks

• Formal schooling; Activities

Inferiority:

• Pessimism, lack of confidence in own ability to do well

• Others’ negative responses can contribute

School-Age Fears and Anxieties

Common fears:

Academic failure

Peer rejection

Personal harm

Threats to parents’ health

Frightening media events

School refusal:

Maternal separation: ages 5–7

Particular aspects of school: ages 11–13

Harsh living conditions promote severe anxieties

Self-Concept

• Shift to trait-like psychological constructs

• Recognition of both positive and negative traits

• Social comparisons

• Frequent reference to social groups

Self-Esteem

• Increasing self-awareness

• Self-beliefs related to behavior

• Positive parental interactions

• Attributions:

o Mastery-oriented

o Learned-helpless

• Process praise vs. person praise

Achievement Motivation

• Willingness to persist at challenges

• Growth mindset vs fixed mindset

o Mastery orientation

o Learned helplessness orientation

Hierarchical structure of self-esteem in mid-elementary years

Body Image

Influence of peer interactions

Influence of contextual factors

School-based body image education

Culture, Gender, and Ethnicity and Self-Esteem

Media influence

Gender stereotypes:

Girls less confident appearance, athletic abilities

Girls ↑ in language arts and friendships

Boys ↑ in math and science self-esteem

African-American children: slightly higher self-esteem than other groups

Self-esteem supported by neighborhoods, schools where child’s SES and ethnicity are well-represented

Gender Differences and Gender Typing

• Boys and Girls:

• High degree of overall similarity

• Minor differences in cognitive aspects

• Persisting socioemotional differences

Gender Identity

Gender identity (third to sixth grade):

Boys’ “masculine” identification strengthens

Girls become more androgynous; explore more options

Awareness of society’s greater regard for “masculine” traits

Gender Differences and Typing

Self-evaluations affect adjustment:

• Gender typicality

• Gender contentedness

• Felt pressure to conform to gender roles

Gender-atypical children’s self-worth declines

Peer Relationships in Middle Childhood

Friendship

Influences of contextual characteristics

Effects of friendship dissolution and chronic friendlessness

Friendships in Middle Childhood

➢ Personal qualities, trust become important

➢ More selective in choosing friends:

➢ Tends to select friends similar to self

➢ Fairly stable, can last several years

➢ Type of friends affects development and behavior

Children Who Bully

Relational aggression

Motivations

Causes

Influence of sociocultural context

Family Influences

▪ Parent–child relationships:

o Easier with established authoritative style

o Coregulation: gradually shift control to child

▪ Sibling relationships:

o Rivalry: parental comparisons

o Companionship and support

Changes in Moral Understanding

Flexible moral rules:

▪ Lying not always bad, and truthfulness not always good

▪ Considers intentions and context

Better understanding of varied reasons for deception:

▪ Gains in recursive perspective taking

Linking moral imperatives and social conventions:

▪ Violations of purposeful social conventions are regarded as closer to moral transgressions

Changes in Moral Understanding

• Challenges adult authority within personal domain

• Notions of personal choice

o Views denials of personal choice as wrong

o Approves of limits on personal choice, typically favoring kindness and fairness