Chapter Thirteen The School Years: Psychosocial Development

Increased Competence –and more responsible and independent The Child’s Emotions and Concerns

Freud: Latency –emotional drives quieter, psychosexual needs repressed, unconscious conflicts submerged Erikson: Industry vs. Inferiority –children try to master skills valuable in own culture social worlds beyond family contribute to sense of industry or inferiority Theories of Development During Middle Childhood

Social cognitive theory—the perspective that highlights how school-age children advance in learning, cognition, and culture, building on maturation and experience to become more articulate, insightful, and competent Theories of Development During Middle Childhood, cont.

Middle childhood is the time when children learn whatever skills they will need as adults Self-understanding comes at a price –lower self-esteem –greater self-criticism and self- consciousness Self-development affected by relationships with parents and peers Understanding Self and Others

Peer group—aggregate of individuals of roughly the same age and social status who play, work, or learn together The Peer Group

Peers become increasingly important –developmentalists believe that getting along with peers is crucial during middle childhood –being rejected is a precursor for other problems –children depend on each other for companionship, advice, self-validation –peer partners must learn to negotiate, share, compromise, and defend each other and themselves –certain amount of aggression, counter- aggression, and reconciliation expected The Peer Group, cont.

Developmentalists are troubled if children have no free time to spend with each other –child may have to come straight home from school –child may be in after-school programs due to parents work –children prefer to choose their own activities with their own friends The Peer Group, cont.

Peer Group Subculture –special vocabulary, rules of behavior, dress codes –an “in” group and an “out” group Friendship

Friendships become more important –forum for self disclosure  Mutual dependency –become more choosy in picking friends best friends likely to be same in sex, age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status –more intense, intimate, and demanding Friendship, cont.

Unpopular Children –neglected children receive little attention, but not necessarily disliked by peers –aggressive-rejected—rejected by peers because of confrontational behavior –withdrawn-rejected—rejected by peers because they are timid and anxious –for rejected, situation can worsen over time Friendship, cont.

Bullying is universal Bullies are not necessarily rejected, and victims are not always odd in appearance or background, although they are always rejected Bullies and Their Victims

Bullying—repeated, systematic effort to inflict harm –physical attack, taunting, teasing, name calling Bullying once thought to be a normal part of children’s play with few long- term consequences Types of Bullying

Bully-victims—bullies who are or have been victims of bullying; also called provocative victims, they are minority of victims –can be aggressive-rejected children Bullies and victims usually of same gender Types of Bullying, cont.

Boys vs. Girls –male bullies above average in size –female bullies above average in assertiveness –victims tend to be less assertive and physically weaker (boys) or shyer (girls) Types of Bullying, cont.

Studies show that bullying is widespread and serious in all nations –Norway, Britain, Japan, Italy, U.S. Bullying occurs in all cultures –rural areas, suburbs, inner cities; well- to-do, poor; all races and religions –more where many adults are engaged in violence Palestine, Ethiopia, South Africa Bullying in Many Nations

Families and Children Nature vs. Nurture debate continues –particulars of family practice –shared environmental influences –nonshared environmental influences

Family Function How a family works to meet the needs of its members –provides food, clothing and shelter –encourages learning –develops self-esteem –nurtures friendships with peers –provides harmony and stability

Family Structure How a family is legally constructed and its members genetically constructed –nuclear family—two parents and their biological children still most common type –one-parent family—one parent and his or her biological children

Structure influences function –structure alone is not a total measure –genetic connection increases if families live together Connecting Structure and Function

Well-to-do families can easily provide (which explains why family income strongly correlates with optimal child development) –better schools –more material things to help children feel accepted accepted –bigger houses in safer neighborhoods –calmer home environment as parents need not disagree over money Family Income

Well-educated wage earners raise more successful children than do large, multigenerational families on public assistance Family Income, cont.

Harmony at Home Warmth or conflict that characterizes family interaction –children are handicapped if parents verbally or physically abuse each other –parental alliance—cooperative relationship, in which each parent supports the other’s parenting practices

The Single-Parent Family -numbers have increased markedly over past two decades -single parent is likely to work hard to fill dual role of provider and caregiver -single parent tends to be younger (and less mature?) than married parents Harmony at Home, cont.

Ethnic differences Outcome affected by income, conflict at home, parental age and education, family support, number of children, social isolation, community support

Problems of middle childhood are often exacerbated by long-standing problems -living with violent, emotionally disturbed, drug-addicted, or imprisoned parent -living in decaying, violent, high-crime community -growing up in a chronically poor household Children develop coping mechanisms Coping with Problems

Resilience –dynamic process, not a stable trait –positive adaptation to stress –adversity must be significant Determining significance of stress –how many stressors? –how does the stress affect daily life? –how does child interpret the stress? Resilience and the Assessment of Stress

Daily routines are crucial If child’s daily routines include the following, stress is overwhelming –manage own daily care and school attendance –contend directly with parent’s mental state –supervise and discipline younger siblings –keep friends away from house The Impact of Stress

Strong bond with loving parent can see children through many difficulties –supportive family Community influences can counteract negative effects –cultural differences in seeking support must be respected –network of friends Child’s own attitude is crucial Social Support

Religious Faith and Coping Powerful source of support School-age children develop their own theology

How well children cope with the problems in their lives depends on the following: -nature of stresses they experience -strengths of their various competencies -social support they receive. neighborhoods where everyone is seen as responsible for all children can improve behavior Conclusion