Chapter 8; Socioemotional Development in Middle and Late Childhood Flashcards
the years of middle and late childhood bring […] changes to children’s social and emotional lives
many
what significant developments occur during middle and late childhood
- self conception
- moral reasoning
- gendered behavior
what happens to schooling in middle and late childhood
takes on a more academic flavor
whatrelationships in middle and late childhood start transforming
with parents and peers
what do children in middle and late childhood, especially from 8 to 11 years of age, increasingly describe themselves with
psychological characteristics and traits rather than more concrete self descriptions
what do children in elementary school, become more likely to recognize themselves by
recognize social aspects of the self
include;
references to social groups in their self descriptions
e.g.
girl scout, a catholic, someone who has two close friends
a Childs self understanding in the elementary school years also includes
increasing reference to social comparison
in other words;
more likely to distinguish themselves from others in comparative terms (comparing)
what did Diane Ruble (1983) investigate
children’s use of social comparison in their self evaluations
what did Diane Ruble (1983) find about children younger than 7 when investigating children’s use of social comparison in their self evaluations
made virtually no reference to the information about other children’s performance
what did Diane Ruble (1983) find about children older than 7 when investigating children’s use of social comparison in their self evaluations
included socially comparative information in their self descriptions
what is the social cognitive process referred to as ‘perspective taking’
involved in assuming the perspective of others and understanding their thoughts and feelings, improves
are executive function and perspective taking related
yes
what executive functions are called on when children engage in perspective taking
- cognitive inhibition
(controlling ones own thoughts to consider the perspective of others) - cognitive flexibility
(seeing situations in different ways
children and adolescents who do not have good perspective taking skills are more likely to
have difficulty in peer relations and in more aggressive and oppositional behavior
what do middle and late childhood children typically 6-9 start thinking of others’ claims
skeptical
- less trusting and more skeptical
what are important characteristics of children’s mental well being of themself
high self-esteem and a positive self concept
what does self esteem refer to
global evaluations of the self; it is also called self worth or self-image
what does self concept refer to
domain specific evaluations of the self
e.g. academic, athletic, appearance
where do the foundations of self esteem and self concept emerge from in the infancy and early childhood period
from the quality of parent child interaction
what do low esteem in middle and late childhood indicate from parent relationships earlier in development
may have experienced neglect or abuse in relationships with their parents
what does high self esteem in middle and late childhood indicate from parent relationships earlier in development
likely to be securely attached to their parents and have parents who engage in sensitive caregiving
what in the quality of a children’s home environment is linked to their self esteem in early adulthood
- parenting quality
- cognitive stimualtion
- physical home environment
does self esteem reflect perceptions that always match reality
not always
side note; self esteem is not always right about oneself
what can high self esteem accurately represent
justified perceptions of ones worth as a person and ones successes and accomplishments
what can high self esteem represent that is not accurately
arrogant, grandiose, unwarranted sense of superiority over others
what can low self esteem accurately represent
may reflect either an accurate perception of ones shortcomings
what can low self esteem represent that accurately is not accurate
distorted, even pathological insecurity and inferiority
what is the method of studying self esteem and self concept
correlational
does social support predict subsequent changes in self esteem just as self esteem predicts subsequent changes in social support
no only self esteem can predict subsequent changes in social support
what has low self esteem been implicated in a persons being
- overweight
- obesity
- anxiety
- depression
- suicide
- drug use
- delinquency
what is the age with lower life satisfaction that is explained with having low self esteem in youth
30 years of age
how many years later is low and decreasing self esteem in adolescence linked to adult depression
two decades later
what have researches found moderate correlations with school performance
self esteem
side note;
(increasing self esteem have not always led to improved school performance)
do children with high self esteem have greater or lower initiative
greater initiative
do children with greater initiative that have high self esteem produce positive or negative outcomes
can produce either or
what is an e.g. of children with high self esteem prone to which type of social actions
both prosocial and antisocial actions
what is inflated self esteem
receiving praise for mediocre or even poor performance
leads to;
difficulty handling competition and criticism
also leads to; avoid important experiences such as tackling challenging tasks
what do narcissistic parents think of their children’s talents
overvalue
what are strategies to improve children’s self esteem
- identify the causes of low self esteem
- provide emotional support and social approval
- help children achieve
- help children cope
what does the “identify the causes of low self esteem” strategy refer to when improving children’s self esteem,
- target the causes of low self esteem
how to help;
encourage children to identify and value their areas of competence e.g. academic skills, athletic skills, etc.
what does the “provide emotional support and social approval” strategy refer to when improving children’s self esteem
- may come from conflictual families or conditions of abuse or neglect (unavailable emotional support)
how to help;
informal support through teacher, coach, significant adult or formal support through programs
what does the “help children achieve” strategy refer to when improving children’s self esteem
- achievement also can improve children’s self esteem
how to;
teaching of real skills results in increased achievement = enhanced self esteem,
in other words;
helping them achieve
what does the “help children cope” strategy refer to when improving children’s self esteem,
can be built when a child faces a problem and tries to cope with it, rather than avoiding it. face problems realistically, honestly , and non defensively
how to help;
help cope
what does self efficacy mean
the belief that one can master a situation and produce favorable outcomes
what does Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory state about self efficacy
critical factor in whether or not students achieve
side note;
belief of “I can” or “I cannot”
what did Dale Schunk (2016) find about students with low and high self efficacy when making choices regarding activities
low self efficacy - may avoid many learning tasks, esp. challenging
high self efficacy - eagerly work at learning tasks
side note; high s.e. likely to put more effort and persist longer
does the capacity for self regulation during middle and late childhood increase or decrease
increase capacity
what does the increased capacity for self regulation characterize
- deliberate efforts to manage ones behaviors,
- emotions
- thoughts that lead to increased social competence and achievement
having higher levels of self control at 4 years of age were linked to what of children in early elementary school living in predominantly rural and low income contexts
- improvements in the math and reading achievement
what was revealed of 3 to 7 year old children who grew up in low socioeconomic status (SES) conditions , about self regulation
protective factor
for the children that develop self regulation early in childhood and adolescence is a key contributor to what
adult health and even longevity
what did Nancy Eisenberg and her colleagues (2014) conclude about self regulation fostering conscientiousness later in life
it being both directly and through its link to academic motivation/success and internalized compliance with norms
what does a higher level of self control in childhood link ti regarding the pace of aging
age at a slower pace at 26, 32, and 38 years of age (cardiovascular & immune system)
how many stages are in Erik Eriksons stages of human development?
what is his fourth stage
- eight stages
- industry vs inferiority (during middle and late childhood)
what does industry vs inferiority mean during the fourth stage of human development in Erik Eriksons eight stages
become interested in how things are made and how they work
industry - encouraged to make, build, and work
inferiority - discourage hence foster a sense of inferiority in their children
preschoolers become more adept at talking about their […] and […] emotions
own
others
what does emotional development say about a growing awareness in preschoolers
the need to control and manage their emotions to meet social standards
in middle and late childhood, children further […] their understanding and self regulation of emotion
develop
what does a low level of emotion regulation in childhood predict about the level of externalizing problems in adolescence
higher level of externalizing problems in adolescence
what are the developmental changes in emotions during middle and late childhood
- improved emotional understanding
- increased understanding that more than one emotion can be experienced in a particular situation
- ability to suppress or conceal negative emotional reactions
- the use of self initiated strategies for redirecting feelings
- a capacity for genuine empathy
what does “improved emotional understanding” regarding developmental changed in emotions during middle and late childhood include
elementary school children develop an increased ability to understand such complex emotions as pride and shame
side note’
become self generated and integrated with a sense of personal responsibility rather than before
+
in middle and late childhood, “mental time travel”, anticipate and recall the cognitive and emotional aspects of events
what does “increased understanding that more than one emotion can be experienced in a particualr situation” regarding developmental change in emotions during middle and late childhood include
e.g. a third grader, realize that achieving something might involve both anxiety and joy (two emotions)
what does “increased tendency to be aware of the events leading to emotional reactions” regarding developmental change in emotions during middle and late childhood include
e.g. a fourth grader, may become aware that her sadness today is influenced by her friend moving to another town last week
what does “ability to suppress or conceal negative emotional reactions” regarding developmental change in emotions during middle and late childhood include
e.g. fifth grader, has learned to tone down his anger better than he used to when one of his classmates irritates him
what does “the use of self initiated strategies for redirecting feelings” regarding developmental change in emotions during middle and late childhood indicate
e.g. elementary school years, become more reflective about their emotional lives and increasingly use strategies to control their emotions.
more effective at cognitively managing their emotions, such as soothing themselves after an upset
what does “a capacity for genuine empathy” regarding developmental changes in emotions during middle and late childhood indicate
e.g. fourth grader, e.g. feels sympathy for a distressed person and experiences vicariously the sadness the distressed person is feeling
what are two programs that have been developed to improve many aspects of children’s and adolescents lives
Second Step program
- created by the Committee for Children (2018)
- Pre-K - eight grade
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL, 2018)
- pre-K - twelfth grade
what aspects do the Second Step program focus on
social-emotional learning
1. Pre-K; self regulation and executive function skills that improve their attention and help them control their behavior
2. K-grade - 5: making friends, self-regulation of emotion, and solving problems
3. grades 6-8 communication skills, coping with stress, and decision making to avoid engaging in problem behaviors
what are the five core social and emotional learning domains that CASEL targets
- self awareness (recognizing ones emotions + how affect behavior)
- self management (self control, coping with stress, impulse control)
- social awareness (perspective taking and empathy)
- relationship skills (developing positive relationships and communicating effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds)
- responsible decision making (engaging in ethical behavior, understanding the consequences of ones actions)
is learning how to cope with stress an important aspect of children’s emotional lives
yes,
as get old , more accurately appraise a stressful situation and determine how much control they have over it
when does perspective taking increase
middle and late childhood
what do older children generate and use more of when coping with stress
- generate more coping alternatives to stressful conditions
- use more cognitive coping strategies
are older or younger children better at intentionally shifting their thoughts to something that is less stressful, and at reframing, or changing their perception of a stressful situation
older children
- changing perception -
by 10 years of age, most children are able to use […,…] to cope with stress
cognitive strategies
side note;
families that have not been supportive and are characterized by turmoil or trauma, may be so overwhelmed by stress do not use such strategies
can disasters affect children’s development
yes, and produce adjustment problems
outcomes;
- acute stress reactions,
- depression
- panic disorder
- post traumatic stress disorder
are all disasters capable of harming children development and producing adjustment problems
depends on factors;
nature and severity of the disaster and the type of support available to the child
do children who have developed a number of coping techniques have the best chance of adapting and functioning competently in the face of disaster and trauma
yes due to their coping techniques
what has the term dose-response effect refer to when researching disasters and trauma
more severe the disaster or trauma (dose),
the worse the adaption and adjustment (response) following the event
what are some researched recommendations for parents, teachers, and other adults caring for children after a disaster
- reassure children of their safety and security
- allow children to retell events and be patient in listening to them
- encourage children to talk about any disturbing or confusing feelings, reassuring them that such feelings are normal after a stressful event
- protect children from re-exposure to frightening situation and reminders of the trauma e.g. limiting discussion of even in front of child
- help children make sense of what happened, keeping in mind that children may misunderstand what took place.
what are mental health professionals who help youth cope with stress including traumatic experiences called
child and adolescent psychiatrists
do older children consider the intentions of the individual, believe that rules are subject to change, and are aware that punishment does not always follow wrongdoing
yes
Piaget proposed that younger children are characterized by […] morality but that by 10 years of age they have moved into a higher stage called […] morality
heteronomous
autonomous
how many levels did Lawrence Kohlberg propose of moral development
three,
he believed are universal
what are components of moral personality
- moral identity
- moral character
- moral exemplars
what are Lawrence Kolhberg’s theory of three levels of moral thinking
- pre conventional reasoning
- conventional reasoning
- post conventional reasoning
what is one of the three levels of moral thinking from Lawrence Kolhberg’s called “pre conventional reasoning”
- lowest level of moral reasoning
- children interpret good and bad in terms of external rewards and punishments
- level described as “What’s in it for me?”
what is one of the three levels of moral thinking from Lawrence Kolhberg’s called “conventional reasoning”
- second, or intermediate level
- individuals apply certain standards, but they are there standards set by others, such as parents or the government
what is one of the three levels of moral thinking from Lawrence Kolhberg’s called “post conventional reasoning”
- highest level
- individual recognizes alternative moral courses, explores the options, and then decides on a personal moral code
- engage in deliberate checks on their reasoning to ensure that it meets high ethical standards
what did Lawrence Kolhberg believe about his three level theory of moral development
occur in a sequence and are age related
level 1 - most before age 9
level 2 - early adolescence (not many progress beyond even in adulthood)
level 3 - small number
what did Lawrence Kolhberg argue about advances in children’s cognitive development not ensuring development of
moral reasoning
what did Kolhberg say about moral reasoning reflecting children’s experiences in dealing with,
moral questions and moral conflict
what critical part socially stimulates challenging children to change their moral reasoning
peer interaction
what are all the critics of Kohlberg’s theory of mental reasoning
- moral thought and moral behavior
- moral reasoning is conscious/deliberative vs unconscious/automatic
- culture and moral reasoning
- families and moral development
- gender and the care perspective
what is the critic of “moral thought and moral behavior” regarding Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of mental reasoning
- placing too much emphasis on moral thought and not enough emphasis on moral behavior
reality;
moral reasons can sometimes be used as a shelter for immoral behavior
what is the critic of “conscious/deliberate vs unconscious/automatic” regarding Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of mental reasoning
- social psychologist Jonathan Haidt argues that moral thinking is more often an intuitive gut reaction, with deliberative moral reasoning serving as an after the fact justifcation
contrast to Lawrence view that;
moral thinking is deliberative and that individuals go around all the time contemplating and reasoning about morality
what is the critic of “culture and moral reasoning” regarding Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of mental reasoning
- levels of moral reasoning is culturally biased
contrast to Lawrence;
levels of moral reasoning are universal (level 3 moral thinking not found in all cultures
what is the critic of “families and moral development” regarding Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of mental reasoning
- parents moral values and actions influence children’s development of moral thoughts
Kolhberg; family processes are essentially unimportant in children’s moral development
agreeence between critics and Kolhberg;
peers play important role in development of moral reasoning
what is the critic of “gender and the care perspective” regarding Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of mental reasoning
most publicized criticism is Carol Gilligan
Kohlberg’s theory reflects a gender bias;
based on a male norm;
Kohlberg greatly underplayed the care perspective, perhaps b/c he was a male
Kohlberg has a […] perspective while Carol Gilligan argues for a […] perspective
justice
care
what is justice perspective
a moral perspective that focuses on the rights of the individual; individuals independently make moral decisions
other words;
A moral viewpoint that emphasizes the importance of individual rights, where people make their own moral choices on their own.
what is care perspective
the moral perspective of Carol Gilligan, which views people in terms of their connectedness with others and emphasizes interpersonal communication, relationship with others, and concern for others
in other words;
Carol Gilligan’s moral perspective focuses on how people are connected to one another. It highlights the importance of communication, building relationships, and caring for others.
what questions have been raised about Gilligan’s gender conclusions
doubt on;
claim of substantial gender differences in moral judgement
what does the domain theory of moral development state
that there are different domains of social knowledge and reasoning, including moral, social conventions, and personal domains
what is emerged from attempts to understand and deal with different forms of social experience
children and adolescents
- moral
- social conventional
- personal knowledge
- reasoning
what is social conventional reasoning
focuses on conventional rules that have bene established by social consensus in order to control behavior and maintain the social system
e.g. raising hand in class before speaking, stopping at a stop sign when driving
violating moral rules is usually more […] than violating conventional rules
serious
moral reasoning is …
obligatory, widely accepted, and somewhat impersonal
what do personal issues have control of a person
control over ones
- body
- privacy
- choice of friends
- activities
are all actions governed by moral structure or social norms
no, some belong to the personal domain
what has the study of prosocial moral behavior placed more emphasis on
the behavioral aspects of moral development
what behaviors do children engage in
both immoral antisocial behaviors (e.g. lying, cheating) and prosocial moral behavior (e.g. showing empathy, helping others)
when is pro social behavior more prevalent
in adolescence than in childhood
side note; parents ban be helpful in guiding children to engage in prosocial behavior
what do children develop by the start of the elementary school years as they come to understand sharing, one aspect of prosocial behavior
begin to express objective ideas about fairness
to add on;
come to believe in middle to late elementary school years that special merit or special needs deserve special treatment
gender has a […] influence on development
pervasive
e.g. boys and girls show preferences for different toys and activities
