© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. CHAPTER 3 Social Contexts and Socioemotional Development

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

CHAPTER 3

Social Contexts and Socioemotional Development


Social Contexts and

Socioemotional Development

ContemporaryTheories

Erikson’sLife-Span

Development Theory

Bronfenbrenner’sEcological

Theory


Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory

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


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


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.


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

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory Theory into Practice

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.


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.

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory Theory into Practice

Q.3: How is the mesosystem currently operating for Sid? Explain.


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


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


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


Erikson’s Human Development Stages

1 - Trust vs. Mistrust

0–1 years

2 - Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt 1–3 years

3 - Initiative vs. Guilt3–5 years

Developed through consistent love and support

Independence fostered by support and encouragement

Developed by exploring and accepting challenges



4 - Industry vs. Inferiority6 years–puberty

5 - Identity vs. Role ConfusionAdolescence

Mastery comes from success and recognition

Exploration of different paths to attain a healthy identity


Marcia’s Four Statuses of Identity

Identity Diffusion

Identity Foreclosure

Identity Moratorium

Identity Achievement

Adolescents have not yet explored meaningful alternatives or made commitments

Adolescents have made a commitment without exploring alternatives

Alternatives have been explored but commitments are absent

Alternatives have been explored and commitments have been made





Isaac, an adolescent, enjoys music and has always done well in math and science. He has explored career options in music, math, and science. As a result of reading, talking with counselors, and meeting with people employed in each field, Isaac has decided to pursue a career in statistics. Which identity status best fits Isaac?



Marsha has spent very little time thinking about career options, but she knows that she wants to be an electrical engineer, just like her mother and father. Her school counselor is concerned because Marsha shows little interest in math and science. However, her parents are very proud. They assume that Marsha will begin to enjoy math and science once she gets to college. Which identity status best describes Marsha?



Benjamin is a high school student who enjoys art classes more than any other classes. He also loves photography. He would like to pursue a career doing something creative. He would also like to work with people. He has thought about becoming an art teacher, photographer, or art historian. He is still thinking about his career, but has not made a final decision. Which identity status best describes Benjamin?



6 - Intimacy vs. IsolationEarly adult years

7 - Generativity vs. StagnationMiddle Adulthood

8 - Integrity vs. DespairLate Adulthood

Life review and retrospective evaluation of one’s past

Form positive, close relationships with others

Transmitting something positive to the next generation



Erika is experiencing some indecision. She has to choose what college to attend, whether to go away from home, what career to choose, and whether to room with someone she knows. According to Erikson’s life-stage development theory, in what stage is Erika?



Andrea created a picture of an aquarium, which she plans to give to her teacher to hang in the classroom. Andrea was very excited at the idea that her teacher would hang up her picture on the wall, especially because the reason Andrea had made it was to show her teacher she could draw all sorts of fish from memory. In which of Erikson’s stages do children realize that they can obtain the recognition of teachers and parents by producing things?



Chase’s mom thinks it’s better to let her infant son cry for a while before attending to his needs so that he does not get spoiled. According to Erikson’s theory, if an infant thinks that his needs may or may not be met, s/he will likely develop which trait?



According to Erikson’s life-span development theory, if a toddler is punished harshly or restrained severely, he or she will likely develop which trait?



During which of Erikson’s stages is a person expected to focus his or her efforts on transmitting something positive to the next generation?


Social Contexts and


Social Contextsof Development

Families Peers Schools


Baumrind’s Parenting Styles

AuthoritarianParents place firm limits and controls on children.

Children tend to be socially incompetent with poor communication skills.

IndulgentParents are highly

involved but set few restrictions. Children have

poor self-control.

NeglectfulParents are permissive

and uninvolved. Children have poor self-control and

low achievement motivation.

AuthoritativeParents are nurturing and supportive. Children are self-reliant, get along with

peers, and have highself-esteem.


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


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


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


School-Family Linkages

Research shows that family involvement greatly influences student attitudes, attendance, and academic achievement.

What are some different ways in which you could involve families in your classroom?

What are some of the challenges to involving families and how can you overcome these?


Peers

Name nominationList the names of three students you like:

1.____________________________

2.____________________________

3.____________________________

List the names of three students you dislike:

1.____________________________

2.____________________________

3.____________________________


Peers

Likert scaleHow much do you like each classmate below?

Aimee Dislike 1 2 3 4 5 Like

Brent Dislike 1 2 3 4 5 Like

Cathy Dislike 1 2 3 4 5 Like

Evan Dislike 1 2 3 4 5 Like

…

Zoe Dislike 1 2 3 4 5 Like


Peer Statuses

NeglectedInfrequently

“best friend,”are

not disliked

RejectedSeldom

“best friend,”often disliked

PopularListen carefully,

act like themselves,show enthusiasm,

are happy


Peer Statuses

ControversialFrequently

“best friend,”often disliked

AverageReceive both positive and

negative peer nominations


Case Study: The School Play

The eighth-grade class at Jefferson Middle School is an especially troublesome one. Students are sharply divided into two groups, the “popular” ones and the “unpopular” ones. The popular students have little time or tolerance for their low-status peers, and a few of them frequently pick on a small, friendless boy named Peter.



When things get so bad that the faculty considers canceling the annual eighth-grade musical, music teacher Mr. Hughes suggests that “the show must go on” but perhaps not in the usual way. Rather than holding tryouts and selecting only a handful of students as cast members, he proposes that the school have the entire eighth-grade class participate in some way, either in the cast or in scenery construction, costume design, or lighting. “Perhaps a group project will pull the class together,” he explains. Many of the other teachers are skeptical, but everyone agrees to support Mr. Hughes’s project.



Throughout March and April, all 92 members of the eighth-grade class and many of the teachers work on a production of the musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. The sheer ambitiousness of the project and the fact that the class’s efforts will be on public display on opening night instill a cohesiveness and class “spirit” that the faculty hasn’t seen before. Peter, playing Snoopy, surprises everyone with his talent, and on opening night his classmates give him rave reviews: “Did you see Peter? He was amazing.” “I had no idea he was so good.” “He was totally cool.”



Middle school students often divide themselves into different social groups, with some groups having higher social status than others. Why might social groups be so important for young adolescents? Are they beneficial or harmful?

What benefits might the all-class school play have? Why does it pull the class together?


Friendships

Benefits of Friendships

Companionship Physical support Ego support Intimacy/affection

Reflect: What is a friend?


Dimension of Friendship

Age of child/adolescent

Changes in how time is spent together

Changes in understanding of reciprocity

Preschool-aged children

They “play” with their friends.

Children “share” toys or play complementary roles while playing (e.g., shopkeeper and customer). Friends don’t boss each other around

Elementary school aged children

They play with their friends and also begin to spend time talking.

Children value loyalty and being able to trust their friends. There is an expectation of roughly equal power in the relationship.

Adolescents in middle school and later

More and more, friends spend time talking or engaged in joint activities such as going shopping together.

Adolescents expect friends to sympathize with them, to support their identity, and to make self-disclosures. They become more aware of the give and take needed to sustain relationships.


Friendships Online

Instant messenger Email Blogging Entries on websites such as Face

Book


Positive Consequences of Friendships

Provide social support Ease difficult school transitions Enhance later self-esteem Prepare individuals for romantic

relationships later in life Help students learn social problem

solving skills


Social Contexts and



The SelfMoral

Development


Social Contexts andSocioemotional Development

Social Cognition

Self-Understanding

Other-Understanding

Social Knowledge

Role and Perspective Taking

Self-Control


Self-Concept and Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is the affective or emotional reaction to one’s self-concept (reflects a person’s overall

confidence and satisfaction).

Cognitive

Self-concept is a cognitive appraisal of our social, physical, and academic competence (measures of

such things are our skill in various subject areas, our assessment of our appearance, and the skill we

have in peer relationships).

Academic Social Physical


Theories on Self-Esteem

William James Competencies/value

James Cooley “Looking Glass Self”


Improving Children’s Self-Esteem

Encourage and facilitate Competence in areas students find important

Improvement of academic skills through the use of professional tutors, parent volunteers, and peer tutors

Emotional support and social approval by parents, friends, and peers

Social skills that promote positive peer relationships

Coping skills to face the day-to-day problems as they appear


Pattern of Moral Growth

InitialStages

EarlyChildhoodStage

MiddleChildhoodStage

AdolescentStage


Moral Dilemma

A police officer works in a state that has a law requiring mandatory life in prison for anyone who commits a third felony. The police officer apprehends a 44-year-old father who hit another father in the face at his son’s youth soccer game. The man’s previous two felonies had been committed twenty years before. If the police officer arrests the man, he will be put in prison for life. What should she do?


Piaget’s Theory of Moral Development

Heteronomous morality age 4–7

Autonomous moralityage 7–10

Rules are unchangeable properties of the worldImmanent justiceObjective responsibility

Laws are created by people, and intention and consequences should be considered


Alex accidentally trips and falls while carrying the classroom globe. It breaks when he falls on top of it. He is certain that he will be punished for this, in spite of the fact that he was doing nothing wrong when the accident occurred.

Piaget’s Theory of Moral Development Theory into Practice

Q: Based on the information above, at which of Piaget’s stages of moral development is Alex? Explain.


Kohlberg’s Moral Dilemma

A woman was near death from cancer and needed a miracle drug to save her life. A druggist in the town had discovered a drug that worked on this particular form of cancer but was charging an outrageous price for it – ten times what it cost. The woman’s husband, Heinz, didn’t have the necessary money and could borrow only about half of it. He returned to the druggist to give him the money he had collected and promised to pay the rest later. The druggist refused. Later that night, a desperate Heinz broke into the drug store and stole the drug.

Should he have broken the law? Why? Why not?


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


Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development Theory into Practice

A woman was near death from cancer and needed a miracle drug to save her life. A druggist in the town had discovered a drug that worked on this particular form of cancer but was charging an outrageous price for it – ten times what it cost. The woman’s husband, Heinz, didn’t have the necessary money and could borrow only about half of it. He returned to the druggist to give him the money he had collected and promised to pay the rest later. The druggist refused. Later that night, a desperate Heinz broke into the drug store and stole the drug.



“I think that the man shouldn’t get the medicine for his wife because if he gets caught, he could get in trouble and maybe go to jail for the rest of his life! Even though he loves his wife, he knows it would be bad if he went to jail forever and that could happen if he steals the medicine. So, he shouldn’t steal it.”

Q: At which of Kohlberg’s stages of moral development is this adolescent functioning?


“I’d have to say that Heinz should steal the drug for his wife. He loves his wife and the argument can be made that it is his responsibility to take care of his wife and to try to save her from death. What the druggist is doing is completely wrong. Even though you could argue that it’s important to obey the law, in this case the right thing to do is to steal the drug. It’s immoral to just let someone die when a few thousand dollars could save her.

Q: At which of Kohlberg’s stages of moral development is thyis adolescent functioning? Explain.



“Even though it is a sad situation for Heinz, I still don’t think it’s right for him to steal the drug. If we let Heinz morally get away with stealing the drug, then there really isn’t any end to it. We’d have to let everyone who knew someone who was sick but could not afford a drug steal the drug and then we would really have ourselves a mess.”

Q: At which of Kohlberg’s stages of moral development is this adolescent functioning? Explain.



Criticisms of Kohlberg

Universality Stages invariant? Moral reasoning vs. moral behavior Used males

Carol Gilligan Before age 10?


Distributive Justice

William Damon Level 0 (birth – 5) Level 1 (5 – 6) Level 2 (6 – 7) Level 3 (8+)


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.


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 EducationSchools base programs on the belief that students should learn to value things like democracy and justice as moral reasoning develops.

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.

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© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. CHAPTER 3 Social Contexts and Socioemotional Development