1. Social Contexts and Socioemotional Development
CHAPTER 3
Social Contexts and Socioemotional Development

2. Learning Goals
Describe two contemporary perspectives on socioemotional development: Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory and Erikson’s life-span development theory.
Discuss how the social contexts of families, peers, and schools are linked with socioemotional development.
Explain these aspects of children’s socioemotional development: self-esteem, identity, moral development, and coping with stress.

3. Social Contexts and Socioemotional Development
Contemporary
Theories
Bronfenbrenner’s
Ecological
Theory
Erikson’s
Life-Span
Development Theory

4. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory
Bronfenbrenner’s theory focuses on the social contexts in which people live and the people who influence their development.

5. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory cont’d
Microsystem: Direct interactions with parents, teachers, peers, and others.
Mesosystem: Linkages between microsystems such as family and school, and relationships between students and peers.
Exosystem: Experiences in settings in which a child does not have an active role influence the child’s experiences.

6. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory cont’d
Macrosystem: The broader culture in which students and teachers live.
Chronosystem: The sociohistorical conditions of a student’s development.

7. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory Theory into Practice
Sid’s father left his family years ago and provides no support for them. Sid and his three siblings live with their mother in a public housing project for low-income families. They receive public assistance in the form of reduced rent, money to live on, and participation in a food program. Sid and his siblings receive free school lunches, and do not have to pay the standard book rental fee. In addition, they receive free medical care when ill or injured, but Sid’s mother considers the care they receive to be substandard. Recently, she contacted legal aid about obtaining child support from her children’s father
A1: Family, school, health services
A2: Social services, legal services
Q.1: What aspects of Sid’s microsystem are discussed in the example? Explain.
Q.2: What aspects of Sid’s exosystem are discussed in the example? Explain.

8. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory Theory into Practice
Sid’s father left them years ago and provides no support for the family. Sid and his three siblings live with their mother in a public housing project for low-income families. They receive public assistance in the form of reduced rent, money to live on, and participate in a food program. Sid and his siblings receive free school lunches, and do not have to pay the standard book rental fee. In addition, they receive free medical care when ill or injured, but Sid’s mother considers the care they receive to be substandard. Recently, she contacted legal aid about obtaining child support from her children’s father.
A3: There does not appear to be much communication. However, at least the school is aware of the economic situation of the family.
Q.3: How is the mesosystem currently operating for Sid? Explain.

9. Bronfenbrenner’s Theory in the Classroom
Think about children embedded in several environmental systems and influences
Attend to connections between school and families
Recognize the importance of community, culture, and socioeconomic status

10. Erikson’s Life-Span Development Theory
Development proceeds in stages
Each stage is characterized by a psychosocial challenge or crisis
Stages reflect the motivation of the individual

11. Erik Erikson’s Eight Stages of Human Development
1 - Trust vs. mistrust
2 - Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
3 - Initiative vs. guilt
4 - Industry vs. inferiority
5 - Identity vs. identity confusion
6 - Intimacy vs. isolation
7 - Generativity vs. stagnation
8 - Integrity vs. despair

12. Erikson’s Human Development Stages
1 - Trust vs. Mistrust
0–1 years
2 - Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt 1–3 years
3 - Initiative vs. Guilt 3–5 years
Developed through consistent love and support
Independence fostered by support and encouragement
Developed by exploring and accepting challenges

13. Erikson’s Human Development Stages
4 - Industry vs. Inferiority 6 years–puberty
5 - Identity vs. Role Confusion Adolescence
6 - Intimacy vs. Isolation Early adult years
Mastery comes from success and recognition
Exploration of different paths to attain a healthy identity
Form positive, close relationships with others

14. Erikson’s Human Development Stages
7 - Generativity vs. Stagnation Middle Adulthood
8 - Integrity vs. Despair Late Adulthood
Transmitting something positive to the next generation
Life review and retrospective evaluation of one’s past

15. Strategies for Erikson’s Stages of Development
Initiative
Encourage social play
Have children assume responsibility
Structure assignments for success
Industry
Nourish motivation for mastery
Be tolerant of honest mistakes
Identity
Recognize that identity is multidimensional
Encourage independent thinking
Stimulate students to examine different perspectives

16. Social Contexts and Socioemotional Development
of Development
Families
Peers
Schools

17. Baumrind’s Parenting Styles
Neglectful
Parents are uninvolved. Children have poor self-control, don’t handle independence well, and low achievement motivation.
Authoritarian
Parents are restrictive and punitive. Children tend to be socially incompetent, anxious, and exhibit poor communication skills.
Indulgent
Parents are highly involved but set few restrictions. Children have poor self-control.
Authoritative
Parents are nurturing and supportive, yet set limits. Children are self-reliant, get along with peers, and have high self-esteem.

18. The Changing Family Working parents Children in divorced families
Nature of parents’ work matters
Children in divorced families
The quality of parental relationships, timing of divorce, use of support systems, type of custody, SES, and quality schooling all affect children.
Elementary school children did best when the parent and the school environment were authoritative.
Children in stepfamilies
Show more adjustment problems than children in intact families, especially during adolescence

19. Ethnic and Socioeconomic Variations in Families
Minority students
Families tend to be larger; depend more
on the extended family for support
Single parents are more common
Less educated; lower income
Low-income parents
Tend to value external characteristics such as obedience and neatness
See education as the teachers’ job

20. Ethnic and Socioeconomic Variations in Families
Middle-class families
Often place high value on internal characteristics such as self-control and delayed gratification
See education as a mutual responsibility

21. School-Family Linkages
Communicate effectively with families about school programs and their child’s progress
Involve families with their children in learning activities at home
Encourage parents to be volunteers
Provide assistance to families
Coordinate community collaboration
Include families as participants in school decisions

22. Peer Statuses Popular Rejected Neglected
Frequently nominated as best friend; rarely disliked by peers
Rejected
Seldom
“best friend”;
often actively disliked by peers
Neglected
Infrequently
“best friend”;
not disliked by peers

23. Receive both positive and negative peer nominations
Peer Statuses
Average
Receive both positive and negative peer nominations
Controversial
Frequently
“best friend”;
often disliked
by peers

24. Quality of Friendships Affect Outcomes
Reflect: What is a friend?
Quality of Friendships Affect Outcomes
During a slideshow, text may be written on the slide in the white box, and then saved for later reference.

25. Early Childhood and Elementary School
Developmentally appropriate practices
Early Childhood Approaches
Reggio Emilia
Montessori
Academic versus child-centered
Transition to elementary schools

26. Schools for Adolescents
Transition to Middle or Junior HS
Stressful due to developmental changes
Top-dog phenomenon
Academic challenge
Carnegie Corporation 1989 Recommendations
Improving America’s High Schools
High expectations for all students
Improve drop-out rates

27. Social Contexts and Socioemotional Development
The Self
Moral
Development
Coping with Stress

28. Self-Concept and Self-Esteem
Self-concept is a cognitive appraisal of our social,
physical, and academic competence.
Cognitive
Academic
Social
Physical
Self-esteem is the affective or emotional reaction to one’s self-concept.

29. Improving Children’s Self-Esteem
Identify causes of low self-esteem and areas of competence important to the self
Provide emotional support and social approval
Help children achieve
Develop coping skills

30. Marcia’s Four Statuses of Identity

31. Ethnic Identity … Positive ethnic identity Higher school engagement
“is an enduring aspect of the self that includes a sense of membership in an ethnic group, along with the attitudes and feeling related to that membership” (Phinney, 2006) (as cited in Santrock, 2009).
Positive ethnic identity
Higher school engagement
Lower aggression
Navajo adolescents: higher self-esteem, school connectedness, and social functioning

32. Kohlberg’s Levels of Moral Development
Preconventional
Conventional
Postconventional
Moral reasoning is controlled by external rewards and punishments.
Internal standards are imposed by others.
Morality is internal, not based on external standards.

33. Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development Theory into Practice
Sam starts to get out of his seat to sharpen his pencil without permission. He stops because he realizes that if he does, others might also do so and this could result in disorder in the classroom. Because of this, he understands that it is his duty to follow the rules.
A: Stage 4: Social Systems Morality. He is obeying the rule because he understands the importance of rules to maintaining order.
Q: At which of Kohlberg’s stages of moral development is Sam functioning?

34. Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development Theory into Practice
Sam starts to get out of his seat to sharpen his pencil without permission. He stops because he realizes that if he does, he will be punished.
A: Stage 1: Heteronomous morality. He is obeying the rule out of fear of punishment.
Q: At which of Kohlberg’s stages of moral development is Sam functioning? Explain.

35. Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development Theory into Practice
Sam starts to get out of his seat to sharpen his pencil without permission. He stops because he realizes that if he does, it will displease his teacher.
A: Stage 3: Mutual Interpersonal Expectations, Relationships, and Interpersonal Conformity. He is obeying the rule to preserve a relationship.
Q: At which of Kohlberg’s stages of moral development is Sam functioning? Explain.

36. Care vs. Justice Perspective
Justice perspective focuses on rights of individuals
Care perspective emphasizes relationships and concern for others

37. Reflection & Observation
Recall a cheating incident. What factors influenced the decision to cheat?
This slide accompanies the video segment, Cheating and Moral Reasoning, on the McGraw-Hill DVD Teaching Stories: A Video Collection for Educational Psychology.

38. Enter the Debate Should teachers teach students values/morality? YESNO
During a slideshow, text may be written on the slides in the yes/no boxes, and then saved for later reference.

39. Moral Education 1. Hidden Curriculum
School personnel serve as models of ethical behavior.
Classroom rules and peer relationships transmit positive attitudes to students.
2. Character Education
Schools take a direct approach to teaching moral literacy and design an environment that rewards proper behavior.

40. Moral Education 3. Values Clarification
Schools design programs that allow students to clarify their own values and understand the values of others.
4. Cognitive Moral Education
Schools base programs on the belief that students should learn to value things like democracy and justice as moral reasoning develops.

41. Moral Education
5. Service Learning
Schools encourage students to be involved in the community by becoming a tutor, helping the elderly, volunteering in hospitals or day care, etc.
6. Integrative Approach
Schools encourage students to be reflective moral thinkers and committed to justice, and develop children’s moral character.

42. Crack the Case The Case of the Fight
What are the issues in this case?
At what stage of moral development would you expect these boys to be, based on the information you have? What predictions can you make regarding each boy’s sense of self and emotional development?
What can you say about the boys’ mothers?
This case is on page 111 of the text.

43. Crack the Case The Case of the Fight
What do you think about the punishment that Luke received? How would you have handled this situation?
What impact do you think this will have on the boys’ future relationship? What impact will it have on their attitudes toward school?
This case is on page 111 of the text.

44. Strategies for Coping with Stress
Reassure children
Encourage talk
Protect from re-exposure to stress
Help make sense