AGE SIX TO ELEVEN YEARS

CHAPTER 13

EMOTIONAL &SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

INMIDDLE CHILDHOOD

Erikson’s Theory Industry v. Inferiority

If early childhood has been positive kids enter middle childhood ready to turn their energies from make believe to achieving realistic accomplishments.

Children’s drive coupled with expectations of adults sets the stage for the Industry v. Inferiority struggle

Struggle is resolved on the positive side when experiences lead children to develop competence at useful skills and tasks.

Self Understanding

Social Comparison-Children become more aware of their competencies and deficiencies, especially in relation to their peers

“Self Concept” developed by social, cultural, and Cognitive influences

Influences blend, parental support is vital Children begin looking at themselves beyond the family and in the

context of social groups This is the age when self-esteem begins to decline

Self Esteem Hierarchy

Academic Competence School work in various subjects

Social Competence Relationship with peers Relationship with parents

Physical Competence and Appearance Athletic abilities Physical Appearance

*Note, separate self-esteems do not contribute equally to general self esteem*

Self Esteem

Across age, race, sex, SES individuals w/high self esteem tend to be well adjusted, sociable and conscientious

Low self-esteem can lead to anxiety, depression, and anti-social behavior

To protect self-esteem children balance social comparisons and personal achievements and goals

By fourth grade the majority experience rise in self-esteem as they discover their abilities.

Berk speculates this is the reason declines in self-esteem during the early school years are not usually harmful

Achievement Related Attributions

Attributions: everyday explanations for the causes of our behavior (I rode my bike because I believe in myself)

Master Oriented Attributions: Credit success to ability, which can be improved. Failure caused by insufficient effort. This leads to industrious/persistent learning style.

Learned Helplessness: Success is due to external factors like luck. Failure is caused be lack of ability which can not be improved on.

Influences on Achievement- Incremental vs. Fixed View of Ability Attribution Retraining- intervention to encourage learned-

helplessness children they can over come failure through effort (p.489)

Fostering Resilience in Middle Childhood

“Resilience is not a preexisting attribute but, rather, a capacity that develops through childhood experiences”

PEER RELATIONS

Peer Groups: Collectives that generate unique values and standards for behavior and a social structure of leaders and followers. First Form in Middle Childhood Organize on the basis of similarity in:

×Gender ×Ethnicity ×Academic Achievement

×Popularity ×Aggression ×Proximity (being in the same class)

Children who deviate from group codes of dress and behavior are often excluded. The customs of the group bind the kids together, creating a sense of group identity

FRIENDSHIPS

One-on-one friendships provide children with insight into larger social structures.

Friendships become more complex and psychologically based.

TRUST is the defining feature in a friendshipChildren tend to select friends who are:

similar in age, race, sex, ethnicity and SES. Similar personality traits: sociability, aggression, depression, hyperactivity, popularity, achievement and prosocial behavior.

PEER ACCEPTANCE

Determinants of peer acceptance Popular-prosocial children are kind and considerate,

they perform well in school, solve social problems constructively & communicate with peers in sensitive, friendly, cooperative ways.

Popular-antisocial children are admired for their belligerent behavior. They may be considered “tough” kids, they cause trouble and defy adult authority. They are seen as “cool”.

Helping Rejected Children Coaching, Modeling, Reinforcing Positive Social Skills Intensive academic tutoring improves school

achievement Interventions with Parents

FAMILY INFLUENCES

Parent Child Relationships Effective parents engage in coregulation – exerting general

oversight while letting children take charge of moment-by-moment decision making. This depends on a cooperative relationship between parent and child.

Siblings Sibling rivalry tends to increase Parents compare their traits and accomplishments Siblings attempt to be different from one another Siblings who maintain warm bonds resolve disagreements

constructively and provide one another with emotional support. Only Children

Have higher self-esteem Do better in school Attain higher levels of education Form close, high-quality friendships, but are less well accepted in the

peer group

FAMILY INFLUENCES

Gay and Lesbian Families Same level of commitment & effectiveness in child

rearing as heterosexual families Children do not differ in adjustment or gender-role

preferencesNever-Married Single-Parent Families

Generally increases economic hardship for low-SES mothers

Children who lack a father’s warmth and involvement achieve less well in school and engage in more antisocial behavior than children in low-SES, first marriage families

FAMILY INFLUENCES: Divorce

All children experience painful emotional reactions during a divorce

Children with difficult temperaments & boys in mother-custody homes have more adjustment problems

Best factor for positive adjustment following divorce: Effective Parenting. Contact with non-custodial parent is very important and father custody is associated with better outcomes for sons.

Divorce mediation can promote children’s adjustments

GENDER IDENTITY & BEHAVIOR

Gender Typicality – the degree to which a child feels similar to others of the same gender. Psychological well-being depends, to a degree, on feeling that they “fit in” with their same-sex peers.

Gender Contentedness – the degree to which a child feels comfortable with his or her gender assignment.

Felt Pressure to conform to gender roles – the degree to which a child feels parents and peer disapprove of his or her gender-related traits.

GENDER TYPING

Achievement Areas Masculine: Science, Math, Athletics, Mechanical Skills Feminine: Reading, Spelling, Art & Music

Bleeker & Jacobs, 2004 Study Mothers’ had early perceptions of their children’s

competence in math These continued to predict daughters’ self-perceptions

and even career choices into their mid-twenties. Young women whose mothers regarded them as highly

capable at math were far more likely to choose a physical science career

Thank You