Lecture 7 - Contexts: Parents, peers, relationships

Question 1

What is a context?

Answer 1

“The situation within which something exists or happens, and that
can help explain it”

Question 2

what is Bronfenbrenner’s
Ecological Systems
Theory (1979)?

Answer 2

revolutionised understanding of
child development.
* Emphasises the role of the environment in shaping a child’s
growth and development.
* Consists of five interconnected systems

Question 3

what are the five interconnected
systems?

Answer 3

MICROSYSTEM
The child’s immediate surroundings – family, school, peers.

MESOSYSTEM
The interactions between the child’s microsystems –relationship between home and school

EXOSYSTEM
Indirect influences on the child – parent’s workplace, community resources.

MACROSYSTEM
The broader cultural and societal context – values, customs, and laws

CHRONOSYSTEM
Changes over time, both within the child and their surrounding environment

Question 4

What is the significance of Ecological
Systems Theory?

Answer 4

Understanding these systems is crucial for those working with young children, in terms of creating nurturing and supportive environments which foster learning and wellbeing.

By understanding the complex interplay between these systems, those working in education can create supportive environments which nurture children’s development

Question 5

What did Bronfenbrenner expanded his theory into?

Answer 5

The Bioecological Model

Question 6

What is The Bioecological Model?

Answer 6

Emphasises the role of the individual child in their own development

Question 7

What are the 4 key concepts of the bioecological model?

Answer 7

• Process – dynamic, reciprocal interactions between a child and their environment (e.g. child-parent interactions). Aka proximal
  processes. Primary drivers of development.
• Person – Child’s individual characteristics (e.g. temperment, abilities, personality) influences their interactions with the
  environment
• Context – The nested systems of the Ecological Systems theory.
  Provides the setting for development.
• Time – Historical, generational, and day-to-day time frameswithin which development occurs

Question 8

What role do relationships play in development?

Answer 8

Bronfenbrenner’s theories highlight the crucial role of relationships in child
development.
Quality and stability are essential.
* Parent-child relationships.
* Peer relationships.
* Teacher-child relationships.

Question 9

What role do parents play in development?

Answer 9

Parents are children’s first and most enduring educators.
Factors that affect parenting styles are complex:
* Numbers of children in the family.
* The parents’ ages.
* First time or experienced parents.
* Employment status.
* Housing.
* Support available

Question 10

What is parenting style?

Answer 10

Each parent’s particular approach to socialising and teaching their child

Question 11

what is Baumrind’s (1967) typology of parenting styles?

Answer 11

Based on degrees of support /responsiveness and demand /control.
Research involved parental interviews and observations of white/western parents interacting with children at home and in the lab.

Question 12

RESULTS (ON SLIDE 18 in table)

Answer 12

parental styles:
authoritative (acceptance high, involvement high, control adaptive, autonomy appropriate)

authoritarian (acceptance low, involvement high, control adaptive, autonomy appropriate)

permissive (acceptance high, involvement significantly high or low, control high, autonomy low)

uninvolved (acceptance low, involvement low, control low, autonomy indifferent)

Question 13

Strengths of Baumrind’s (1967) typology of parenting styles

Answer 13

Consistent evidence in western contexts to support Authoritative vs other styles

Question 14

Limitations of Baumrind’s (1967) typology of parenting styles

Answer 14

are these really neat boxes or ‘messier’ dimensions?
-highly culturally specific (chao et al)
-not necessarily consistent (e.g. styles can vary by sibling too)

promotes self esteem, good for academic attainment, and wellbeing

Question 15

ethnocentric- evaluating other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one’s own culture.

Question 16

Beyond ethnocentric perspectives, what else must we factor in that affects development?

not sure if this is the wright wquestion

Answer 16

Parents’ is not singular!
Parents living together can have different styles.
Extended and ‘non-nuclear’ families and households:-
Multi-generational households.
Single parent families.
Step-parents.
Same-sex parents

Question 17

How do peer relationships affect development?

Answer 17

In middle childhood, 30% of a child’s social interactions involve peers.
3 times more than in early childhood (Rubin, Bukowski, & Parker, 1998).
This trend continues throughout adolescence.

The generation you’re born into is a developmental context and share it with your peers.
Peers socialise and influence each other’s behaviour.

Imitation (as a means of learning) and conformity matter, especially during certain developmental periods (e.g.
adolescence)

Question 18

How does friendship affect development?

Question 19

What is friendship in early childhood?

Answer 19

• Someone you play with, or share some activity.
  Friendships are:
• Transient in nature.
• Rooted in proximity.
• With others others of similar age and background

Question 20

What is friendship in middle childhood?

Answer 20

In middle childhood peer relationships still tend to be with those who are similar.

However, there is evidence that children become increasingly similar to their friends as they interact (Hartup, 1996).

‘Fair-weather friends’ are common in this age group – due to conflicts and disagreements

Question 21

What is friendship in adolescence?

Answer 21

By the end of middle childhood, friendships are becoming intimate, and by adolescence they are more stable.

Though still may be disrupted by changing class or moving schools.

More likely to be maintained at this age.

Characterised by enduring sense of trust, loyalty, and collaborative negotiation, openness, warmth

Question 22

What is popularity?

Answer 22

Defined by the number of children who name a target child as ‘liked’, ‘disliked’, ‘friend’, or ‘best friend’ (Newcomb, Bukowski, & Pattee,1993).

Children with most ‘liked’ nominations are popular.
Children with most ‘disliked’ are rejected.
Children with very or no nominations are neglected.
Children who are both nominated frequently, and actively disliked by others are controversial

Question 23

What are the levels of acceptance and the implications?

Answer 23

Socio-metric Classifications

• Popular
• Average
• Neglected
• Controversial
• Rejected (aggressive; non-aggressive)

Implications of peer- rejection?

• Negative effects of social isolation- loneliness.
• Often given early intervention – group-based, social skills or reducing aggression.

Question 24

Does popularity matter?

Answer 24

Popularity or social status is a central concern for most adolescents.

Has been suggested that young people’s relative powerlessness in school renders them prone to focus on status hierarchies.

While end of adolescence and the end of compulsory education brings with it a change in social status and context