Exam 3: Social Development

Question 1

Social Development

Answer 1

• How interactions with other and the social context contribute to changes in development
• Nature and nurture work together to shape development

Question 2

Social Ecological Model

Answer 2

• Bronfenbrenner, 1979
• To study human development, must take into account social context
• Includes influences of a person’s surroundings such as parents, friends, school, work, culture, etc.
• Microsystem: immediate surroundings and direct interactions with people/environment
• Mesosystem: communities (family, school, doctors, etc.)
• Exosystem: indirect interactions (media, workplace, neighbors, extended family, etc.)
• Macrosystem: broad ideology, laws, culture, social class, and customs

Question 3

Bioecological Model

Answer 3

• Bronfenbrenner and Ceci, 1994
• Updated system (addition of biology)
• Biology produces a person’s genetic potential via environmental and social forces
• Proximal processes: development from mutual interactions between a person and the social environment

Question 4

Nature vs. Nurture

Answer 4

• This concept is why the bioecological model is important
• Nature: biology, genes, hormones, etc.
• Nurture: environment, social context, interactions, etc.

Question 5

Epigenetics

Answer 5

• “Above genetics”
• Study of gene expressions that are mediated by the environment
• Proteins regulate gene expression by turning gene activity on and off

Question 6

Romanian Adoption Study

Answer 6

• Natural experiment: conditions are determined by nature outside the control of the investigators
• Advantages: unethical research done, ecological validity
• Disadvantages: can’t control for confounds, can’t replicate
• Staff workers demanded not to interact with infants at all
• Crown of heads became flattened from babies’ lying on backs 20hrs/day
• Control group: adopted infants not from depraved orphanage

Outcomes?

• 150 depraved Romanian infants adopted by families in Great Britain
• Adopted by 6 months then physically, cognitively, socially comparable to control group
• Adopted after 6 months then weighed less, intellectually and socially stunted, impaired memory and attention, amygdala affected negatively

Importance?
-Both social context and timing of experiences are important

Question 7

Thriving Regardless of Difficult Social Contexts (Why?)

Answer 7

• Positive personal qualities: high intelligence, easy going personality, optimistic outlook on future, etc.
• Close relationship with at least one parent
• Close relationship with at least one adult other than parent (someone who takes a special interest in you)

Question 8

Importance of Social Interaction

Answer 8

-Interaction with people is superior for learning and engagement than interaction with devices

Why?
-Contingent Social Interactions

Question 9

Contingent Social Interactions

Answer 9

• Devices can’t do this but people can
• Caregiver responds to child’s behavior specifically, immediately, and appropriately
• Joint attention
• Children can then imitate words, achieve 50 words/phrases in expressive vocabulary, engage in speech, and spontaneously express 1st words sooner
• Quality of social interactions best predicts learning outcomes, including quantity of words

Question 10

Parenting Styles

Answer 10

• Baumrind
• Demandingness: how strict or structured the environment is
• Responsiveness: amount of warmth and affection
• Authoritarian: high D, low R
• Authoritative: high D, high R
• Indifferent: low D, low R
• Indulgent: low D, high R

Question 11

Indulgent Parenting

Answer 11

• Permissive
• Low D, high R
• Nondirective (subtype): passive approach where parent is available but not assertive
• Democratic (subtype): active approach where parent is always checking to make sure all needs are met

Parent’s perspective?

• Resource to adolescent
• Discipline is infringement on child’s freedom
• Being liked > providing structure
• Allows child to make own decisions and set own rules

Influences?

• Poor impulse and temper control
• Tend to rely on others due to lack of autonomy development
• Low self-control and immature

Question 12

Indifferent Parenting

Answer 12

• Uninvolved or disengaged
• Low D, low R
• Neglecting (subtype): passive form of indifference
• Rejecting Neglecting (subtype): active form of indifference

Parent’s perspective?
-Tend to view children as a burden and hindrance to their own goals and needs

Influences?

• Feel fear, anxiety or stress due to lack of family support
• Increases risk for psychological issues
• Form a negative identity and display socially inappropriate behavior to gain attention
• Fear becoming dependent on other people
• Impulsive

Question 13

Authoritarian Parenting

Answer 13

• Disciplinarian or militaristic
• High D, low R
• Power Assertion (Discipline Technique): demonstration by parents to assert dominance through verbal, psychological or physical abuse

Parent’s Perspective?

• Control is a central issue
• Child is not to be trusted and requires structure, order and obedience
• Unyielding and often maintain a high level of expectation

Influences?

• Less resourceful
• Less socially adept
• More likely to bully
• More dependent
• More likely to conform

Question 14

Authoritative Parenting

Answer 14

• High D, high R
• Give reasons for rules
• Demand is high but qualitatively different than authoritarian parenting

Parent’s Perspective?
-To raise a child who can be self-reliant and feel secure and comfortable with interpersonal relationships

Influences?

• More creative and independent
• Are self-assured
• Socially skilled

Question 15

Prenatal Environment Effects

Answer 15

• Maternal consumption of Omega 3’s during pregnancy is associated with decreased attention deficits
• Mental rotation (male advantage during infancy): can rotate objects in their conscious minds
• Prior exposure to androgens: female performance equivalent to males (sex differences otherwise)