SES

Question 1

what is SES

Answer 1

measure of a persons economic and social position in relation to others
- indirect and accure over time

Question 2

links between SES and cognitive development..

Farah et al. (2006)

Answer 2

found differences in language, memory and execuitve function (working memory and inhibitory control).

Question 3

interesting finding from farah et al (2006)

Answer 3

prior research suggests that the ability to resist impulse and appreciate the value of future rewards does increase with SES

But actually, Farah et al find no effect of SES on early reward processing.

suggests this develops later as a pragmatic adaptation

Question 4

SES and maths

- at school entry

Answer 4

pre exsisting.
Jordan, Huttenlocher, & Levine, l994 : low ses families begin with less maths knowledge
Duncan & Brooks-Gunn, 1997): less well prepared for school
Duncan et al 2007). less exposure to maths (incremental)

Question 5

cross cultural research

STarkey and Klein (2008)

Answer 5

China, Japan and the US found SES related gap in maths- suggests variables which link SES to maths are present early in life.

Question 6

maths achievement gap - widens with time

Rathbun and West (2004)

Answer 6

maths achievement gap at school entry between low and higher SES children widens over the first 4 years of primary school;

Question 7

maths achievement gap
- linear relationship
Duncan and MAgnuson (2012)

Answer 7

For math and reading attainment, gaps between the bottom and top SES groups are roughly twice as large as the bottom and middle of the SES distribution, suggesting a fairly linear SES ‘gradient’ for those achievement measures

Question 8

Pathways via cognition

Answer 8

Executive functions (working memory and inhibitory control) may mediate the relationship between maths and SES-

Question 9

What are the models which explain the links between SES and cognitive development?

Answer 9

1. the investment model

2. the stress model

Question 10

The investment model/

3 products of having less time, money and knowledge

Answer 10

lower SES parents have less capital and so cant invest as much in their children

1. cognitive stimulation: Lower SES children tend to receive less cognitive stimulation: they are read to less. (Evans, 2004)
2. Resources: higher SES parents have more eductaional games which are played wth more Crosnoe et al (2010)
3. tools for maths thinking : SES parents use more language involving numbers

Question 11

the stress model

Answer 11

Lower SES leads to long term stress, which has negative consequences biologically and can make parents less effective

Chronic stress- in cases of extreme poverty

Question 12

The investment model - differences in home activities

STarkey et al (1999)

Answer 12

mid-SES parents were more likely to have a range of maths activities (e.g., games, toys, computer software) in the home that were broader and played with more frequently than lower-SES parents.

Question 13

The investment model-
differences in home activities related to maths
Blevins - Knabe and Musun Miller (1996)

Answer 13

The frequency with which children engaged in number-related activities at home the previous week (e.g., number matching tasks like: ‘give everyone 2 cookies’) was positively correlated with their maths skills.

Question 14

The investment model

- maths activities in the home predict maths skills over time

Answer 14

Number talk at home at age 2 predicts maths skills at age 4 (Levine et al., 2010).

Question 15

the stress model

• direct effects
• blair (2011)

Answer 15

stress influences the HPA axis which affects behaviour regulation and affects the prefrontal cortex which underpins executive functions

Blair (2011) reactive rather than reflective self-regulation

Question 16

the stress model
- direct effects on cognitive development
evans and Kim (2010)
- blair et al (2011)

Answer 16

Children have a higher basal rate of cortisol (kim, 2010)

High salivary cortisol at 7, 15, 24 months is associated with lower execuitve function at 3. Blair (2011)

Question 17

The stress model

• formation of new memories
• Sauro, Jorgenson and Pedlow (2003)
• Sharkey (2010)

Answer 17

Sauro, Jorgenson, & Pedlow, 2003 if children bullied on way or home from school memory for rest of day will blur.
Sharkey (2010) murder in the neighbourhood score lower on test

Question 18

The stress model

- indirect route : parenting (blair et al, 2011)

Answer 18

Stress can affect cognition indirectly via more harsh and inconsistent parenting. Stress makes it harder to regulate your emotions and behaviour. The effect of parenting on children’s executive functions has been found to be linked via cortisol

Question 19

Interventions- the stress model

Fisher et al (2006)

Answer 19

reduced HPA activity 9 months later after an intervention