Week 8 - Relationships in middle childhood & adolescence

Question 1

Describe the difference between parent-child and parent-peer relationship. (hint: horizontal vs vertical)

Answer 1

Parent-child = mainly vertical. Parent possess superior experience and psychological maturity.

Parent-peer = mainly horizontal. Functioning at similar level of behavioural complexity.

Question 2

Broadly, what are the changes in relationships into middle childhood and adolescence with parents?

Answer 2

Pulling/ tearing apart process of relationships behaviourally, cognitively during adolescence is required, to build new relationship with parents.

traditional maturation.

Question 3

How does relationship with parents change in middle childhood?

Answer 3

~ Children spend less time with parents than early childhood. However, they are still source of practical and emotional support

~ Parent responsiveness and attune-ment is critical (picking up on and responding to emotions). So is parental monitoring (acceptance-responsiveness). Key protective mechanism as children move into early adolescence.

Question 4

How do relationships with parents change in adolescence?

Answer 4

~ Adolescents increase self-regulation; seek control, choice & autonomy (but with support)

~ Promotion of volitional function (PVF) = parents guide or scaffold decision making, rather than imposing solution. Autonomy and self-determination. Whereas, younger children might come to you for advice and you direct them ABC

Conflicts do arise: (normative in this period):
~ Adolescents developmental period interacts with major developmental transition period for parents (HEIGHTENED CONFLICT)
Parents are also going through developmental phase (Erikson) figuring out their life and greatest achievements - and their children say they hate you

~ Discrepancies between expectations of responsibilities and freedoms
~ Views on appropriate behaviour

Question 5

How do relationships with peers change in middle chlidhood? (6-12)

Answer 5

Henry Sullivan - social needs change as we get older, through different kinds of social relationships.
~ until age 6; parent-child relationship central for care and nurture
~ peers then become important:(9-12), children need intimacy in form of close friendship. Piaget, forming of concrete operational thinking. This coincides with abstract thinking, need for intimacy, perspective taking, holding person in mind when they aren’t present.

~ Increased gender segregation = girls and boys play separately

~ Growth in awareness and self reflection regarding peers - their roles within groups

~ Consolidation of links between peer relations and psychosocial functioning - e.g. anxiety, depression, conduct disorders.

~ Start to reject some socialising values in favour of norms of per group, in way of connecting or joining more with that peer group.

Question 6

How do relationships with peers change in adolescence?

Answer 6

~ Peer influences very strong in adolescence: values and ideas
~ Peer status has substantial impact on psychosocial adjustment - impact of bullying etc. very distressing
~ Simultaneous increase & reduction in gendered behaviour - mixed gender relations, however increases gendered behaviour (dressing up to impress
~ growing importance of romantic relationships

Question 7

Describe the change in peer networks (middle childhood vs adolescence)

Answer 7

Late childhood = same sex groups

Adolescence = mixed sex cliques interact. Same-sex cliques provide secure base for romantic relationships - form of support and security as base, where one can then explore relationships with opposite sex.

Mixed cliques (Often seen in popular groups)

Question 8

Describe the function of friendships with peers: middle childhood & adolescence

Answer 8

Friendships:
~ mutually affirmed
~ companionship, intimacy, affection
~ distinct from peer acceptance or popularity

~ fosters social competence - prosocial, problem solving, conflict negotiation skills

~ emotional security
~ source of intimacy and affection - secure attachment in horizontal way (reliable safety and security)

Question 9

Describe Castell’s 3 modes of communication on social media

Answer 9

1. interpersonal communication = sender and receiver
2. Mass communication = one-directional sent. One source to many.

3.Mass self-communication = message self-generated. Combines features of mass comm, and interpersonal.

Adolescents in close, high quality relationships have high-quality interactions regardless of the medium through which they interact

Question 10

Describe romantic relationships in adolescence, and the (4) phases (Brown) of adolescent relationships

Answer 10

dating = script based on gender roles

cultural differences

(4) phases:
~ Initiation phase = focus on self. To see oneself as capable of relating to members of other sex in romantic way.

~ Status phase = mid adolescence, having romantic relationship with “right kind” of partner is important for the status it brings in the lager peer group.