Chapter 13 - Development of the Self

Question 1

What is the earliest form of self-concept?

Answer 1

proprioceptive feedback

mimic facial expressions

can distinguish another infant’s cries

“an embryonic body scheme”
- present from birth

Question 2

What is personal agency?

Answer 2

responsibility for actions

learning that the parts of their body can do different things

distinguishing the self from objects

Question 3

What is self-recognition? When looking in a mirror, what would children who haven’t achieved self-recognition do?

Answer 3

seeing yourself as you

would try and go behind the mirror to see who it is

Question 4

What is the Rouge test?

Answer 4

put red makeup on child’s head and have them look in a mirror

some don’t care (no self-recognition)

if they have achieved self-recognition, will reach up on their own heads to touch red mark
- understand something has happened to them

Question 5

What factors contribute to self-recognition?

Answer 5

cognitive development
- forming mental images

secure attachment
- attached 2-3 year olds reach achievement earlier

parenting style
- descriptive info, autobiographical questions, reminiscing

Question 6

When does autobiographical memory become developed?

Answer 6

3.5

Question 7

How does view of self change with age?

Answer 7

2 years old = categorical self

• classifications by ways people differ
• ex. age, gender

3-5 year olds = concrete/physical dimensions

• little psychological awareness
• ex. “I’m fast”

6-11 year olds = internal qualities
- shift from external attributes

Question 8

What types of self-referencing concepts decrease with age?

Answer 8

actions
physical characteristics
gender
citizenship/territory
body image
possessions
likes/dislikes

Question 9

What types of self-referencing concepts increase with age?

Answer 9

age category
sense of determination
sense of unity
interpersonal style
family role
psychic style
ideology/personal beliefs

Question 10

How does self-concept vary by culture?

Answer 10

Westerners more individualistic

• comfortable being singled out
• importance of individual identity

Eastern cultures more collectivist

• respect for authority, especially parents
• happiness depends on those around them

Question 11

What is self-concept?

Answer 11

child acknowledges and describes their qualities and sense of self

Question 12

What is self-esteem?

Answer 12

child’s satisfaction with who they are

evaluative of worth as a person- can know your identity but not like it

based on assessment of qualities identified in self-concept

Question 13

What is the best way to acknowledge behaviour to form self-confidence?

Answer 13

positively but situation-dependent

ex. if a child draws an ugly picture of their family but you like the colours, tell them you like the colours

genuine, not excessive positivity

Question 14

When does self-esteem decline and why?

Answer 14

grades 7-9

person you are is changing physically and cognitively

social circumstances differ (entering middle or high school)

if self-esteem present before, it will be recovered

Question 15

What is relational self-worth?

Answer 15

comparing the self to others

increasing the importance of peers

digital world can be harmful

Question 16

How can you improve a child’s self-esteem?

Answer 16

be descriptive/specific in comments

reinforce self-esteem during failure
- acknowledge and encourage efforts

Question 17

Describe the pathway from self-recognition to moral evaluation.

Answer 17

self-recognition
- ex. Rouge test

self description (concept)

self-evaluation (esteem)

self-evaluative emotions

self-regulation
- behaviour control based on societal values

moral evaluation

Question 18

What are the levels of the pyramid of Piaget’s theory of moral development? (base to point)

Answer 18

premoral period

heteronomous morality

autonomous morality

Question 19

Describe the premoral period of Piaget’s theory of moral development.

Answer 19

5 and under

no respect for rules, prefer to make their own

Question 20

Describe the heteronomous morality phase of Piaget’s theory of moral development.

Answer 20

elementary years

“under the rule of another”

superior agency makes rules we need to follow

very rigid - absolute right/wrong
- understand rules but can’t yet reason on a person’s intentions (assume wrongdoing even if it was a mistake)

Question 21

Describe the autonomous morality phase of Piaget’s theory of moral development.

Answer 21

10-11 years old

children can now make their own decisions about rules, understand they are arbitrary and that they can sometimes be broken
- ex. ambulance can speed if it is an emergency

more flexible, take into account more perspectives when making decisions

Question 22

What is social cognition?

Answer 22

understanding of the self and others

changes with age
- due to cognitive development and emergence of role-taking skills

Question 23

When does true self-recognition occur?

Answer 23

18-24 months

sense of present self, evolves into extended/stable sense of self

classify themselves along socially significant dimensions (categorical self)

Question 24

Is self-esteem stable?

Answer 24

relatively yes

only temporary decline at transition to middle/high school

Question 25

How does parenting affect self-esteem?

Answer 25

interactions with caregivers in infancy form positive or negative working models of the self

warm/responsive parenting increases self-esteem
- aloof/controlling parenting undermines it

Question 26

How do children younger than 7/8 describe their friends?

Answer 26

in same concrete, observable terms they use to describe the self

Question 27

What are the 2 phases of social description in elementary aged children?

Answer 27

behavioural comparison phase
- more attuned to regularities in theirs/others behaviour

psychological constructs phase
- rely on stable psychological traits to describe these patterns

Question 28

What does it mean to truly “know” a person?

Answer 28

assume perspective

understand thoughts, feelings, motives, and intentions

Question 29

What are the 2 ways in which social interactions are crucial to development?

Answer 29

indirect - foster growth of role-taking skills

direct - provide experience to learn what others are like