13 - MIDDLE CHILDHOOD: PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Nature of the child Erikson’s stage

Industry vs. inferiority (4th. Stage) Skill mastery Self-image of being industrious or inferior

Freud Latency

Emotional drives & unconscious sexual conflicts are quiet

Self-Concept Comparison to others An unrealistically high self-concept

reduces “effortful control” (trying to control your emotions) – lowers achievement & increases aggression

The me-self “I-self” = I know what I want, I am

Thinks, acts, & feel independently “Me-self” = What do others think of me?

Based on the perception of what others think

Culture and self-esteem The culture influences how you are

supposed to see yourself Japanese vs. US

Handling Stress Healthy children tend to be resilient to

stress Cope with stressful situations without being

overwhelmed Social support (family, friends, church)

helps deal with stress

Cumulative stress Accumulated small daily stresses over

time = more devastating than isolated major stress

Child’s interpretation of the situation is important

Families and children Individual children are influenced by age,

genes, gender, resilience, parents, and home life

Children raised in same home does not = same environment and parenting Parents treat different children differently

Most environmental effects may be from the “nonshared” environment

Family structure and function Structure = Legal & genetic connections of family

members Structures

Nuclear (Husband, wife, and children) Blended (Parents with children from earlier marriages) Extended (Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, etc.) Polygamous (Multiple spouses)

Function How families act with each other

Function is more important than structure at all ages.

Family functions: Material necessities Learning Self-respect Peer relationships (Friendships) Harmony and stability

Protective, predictable routines

What interferes with family function?

Low income = stress High conflict = stress

Money Child rearing Family roles Physical abuse Emotional abuse

Children need a feeling of harmony

Peer group

The culture of children Norms, values, beliefs, habits that

characterize children as opposed to an adult Children are their own “in group”

Encourages independence from adults E.g. Don’t be a “tattle-tale” to an adult

Friendship & social acceptance Both boys and girls want to be liked and

have best friends Learn faster and feel happier with friends Between same sex, age, ethnicity, and

socioeconomic group People who understand and agree with

them

Social awareness Social cognition

Understanding the causes and consequences of social interaction

Crucial for peer acceptance Effortful control = Ability to control your emotions Well-liked children like themselves

See unkind remarks as accidental Does not provoke fear, self-doubt and anger

Rejected children = poor self-concept See unkind remarks as purposefully directed at them Created self-doubt and anger

Bullies and Victims Bullies lack empathy Bullying = repeated attacks

Types of bullying Physical (hitting, kicking) Verbal (Teasing, name-calling) Relational (Isolate from friends, reduce

acceptance) More common in high school

Cyberbullying (Emails, Facebook)

Victims Lonely, abandoned, no good friends Chosen because of their vulnerability

and isolation

Bullies Not rejected – have admiring henchmen

for friends Boys target smaller, weaker children

Boys = physical aggression Girls target shy soft-spoken girls

Girls = verbal aggression Both sexes use relational aggression and

cyberbullying

Bullies Socially aware but lack empathy with

victim Skilled at avoiding adult awareness Victims counted on not to resist

effectively

Causes of bullying Possibly genetic predisposition or brain

abnormality Family

Insecure attachment Ineffective discipline Hostile siblings Intensify aggression

Peers that approve of the behavior

Consequences of bullying Bullies often become increasing cruel Victims

Depression Lower school achievement

Can bullies be stopped? Very difficult Victim finding new friends helps Whole school strategy

Bully not supported by his peers, friends, and school staff helps

Morality

Kohlberg’s levels of moral development

Preconventional Egocentric Rewards and punishments

Conventional Acceptance of social rules and laws

Postconventional “What should be” Ultimate good

Morality Often guided by the culture and religion Children use their intellectual abilities to

justify their moral actions