Selmans Theory Of Social Cognitive Development Flashcards
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Sellmans theory of social cognition
1) intro(perspective taking, relationships)
2) EVAL: importance of perspective taking + COUNTER
3) perspective taking dilemmas (holly)
4) stages (4)
5) EVAL: support for role taking age correlation
6) EVAL: application: SST (social skills training)
7) EVAL: OVERLY COGNITIVE
1) intro perspective taking
Selmans theory addresses social cognition. It’s based on perspective taking (when we view other situations and perspectives) is how children gain insights to how ppl feel and is is archetypal for relationships.
2) EVAL: importance of perspective taking
+ COUNTER
2) perspective taking is very important to social behaviour.
Research shows pro social behaviour to be asdociated with more mature perspective taking.
It was found children who had poor perspective taking had difficulty forming and maintaining social relationships. Therefore this implies that it’s extremely important for social development.
HOWEVER: one study found that bullies have no issue with perspective taking which suggests it may not be as important in explaining development of socially desirable behaviour.
3) perspective taking dilemmas (holly)
4) perspective taking dilemmas: sell man decided to test children’s perception by giving dilemmas and asking questions. Example: holly is best at climbing trees but falls and promised her dad to never climb again. Later on a kitten is stuck and she’s the only one to help. They ask questions like should she get punished? Etc. Results led him to form stages
4) stages:
Stage 0: undifferentiating perspective taking(ages 3-6) their view applies to everyone(hollys dad not mad cos he thinks like her)
Stage 1: social informing perspective taking(ages 6-8) can tell difference between their POV and others but will only see theirs. dad will understand when holly shows him kitten
Stage 2: self reflective (8-10) children can put themselves in positions of other ppl and appreciate their own perspectives but only one at a time.
Stage 3 (10-12) mutual perspective taking: children can see it from their own and another’s point of view simultaneously.
Stage4: 12+ societal perspective taking : sometimes just understanding other viewpoints isn’t enough so social conventions are needed. (Holly save as cats deserve to live…)
5) EVAL: support for concept that perspective taking improves with age
Sellman gave perspective taking tasks to 60 children. Found significant positive correlations between age and ability to see different perspectives. Furthermore Longitudinal follow up studies have shown that perspective taking develops with age in each individual child which further strengthens the concept.
6) EVAL: application
social skill training (SST) are run with older children who have mental disorders or emotional problems. One explanation for their problems is that they lack perspective taking skills and therefore sellmans theory is applied to try correct this. In prisons they are given tasks to improve empathy.
7) EVAL: overly cognitive
Limitation is it is entirely based on cognition. His theory doesn’t take into account a range of other factors which may be internal (development of empathy) or external (family climate)
