Infants, Children, and Adolescents
Laura E. Berk 6th edition
Chapter 13
Emotional and
Social
Development
in Middle
Childhood
This multimedia product and its contents are
protected under copyright law. The following are
prohibited by law:
Any public performance or display, including
transmission of any image over a network;
Preparation of any derivative work, including the
extraction, in whole or in part of any images;
Any rental, lease, or lending of the program.
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Erikson’s Theory:
Industry versus Inferiority
Industry
Developing a sense of
competence at useful
skills.
School provides many
opportunities.
Inferiority
Pessimism and lack of
confidence in own ability
to do things well.
Family environment,
teachers, peers, can
contribute to negative
feelings.
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Self-Concept in
Middle Childhood
More refined me-self
– Social comparisons
– Emphasize competencies
Both positive and negative
Cognitive development
affects structure of self-concept
– Perspective taking
Social & cultural development
affect content of self-concept
– Real self vs. ideal self
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Self-Esteem in
Middle Childhood
Hierarchically
structured
– Separate areas and
general self-esteem
Drops first few years
in school, then rises
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Hierarchical Structure of SelfEsteem in Middle Childhood
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Influences on Self-Esteem
Culture
Child-rearing practices
Messages from adults
Attributions
– Mastery-oriented
– Learned helplessness
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Achievement-Related
Attributions
Mastery-Oriented
Attribute success to
ability
Incremental view of
ability
– Can improve by trying
Focus on learning
goals
Learned
Helplessness
Attribute failure to
ability
Fixed view of ability
– Cannot be changed
Focus on performance
goals
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Emotional Development in
Middle Childhood
Self-Conscious Emotions
– Pride
– Guilt
Emotional Understanding
– Explain using internal states
– Understand mixed emotions
Emotional Self-Regulation
– Motivated by self-esteem and
peer approval
– Emotional self-efficacy
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Coping with Stress
Problem-Centered
Coping
Used when situation is
seen as changeable
Identify the difficulty
Decide what to do
about it
Emotion-Centered
Coping
Used if problemcentered coping does
not work.
– Situation is seen as
unchangeable
Internal private control
of distress
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Selman’s Stages of
Perspective Taking
Level 0 Undifferentiated
3 – 6 years
Level 1 Social-informational 4 – 9 years
Level 2 Self-reflective
7 – 12 years
Level 3 Third-party
10 – 15 years
Level 4 Societal
14 years to
adult
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Development of
Distributive Justice
Strict Equality: 5 – 6
years
Merit: 6 – 7 years
Benevolence: around
8 years
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Growing Moral Understandings
Conventions with vs. without
clear purpose
Social
Conventions Consider intentions and
context of violations
Consider intentions and
Moral Rules context of violations
Personal
Matters
Recognize areas of personal
choice, relate to moral rules
Recognize limits on choice
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Understanding Individual Rights
When children challenge adult authority,
they typically do it within the personal
domain.
Ideas of personal choice enhance
children’s moral understanding.
Older school-age children put limits on
individual choice. They typically decide in
favor of fairness, which is why prejudice
generally declines in middle childhood.
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Understanding Diversity and
Inequality
By the early school years, children
associate power and privilege with white
people and inferior status with people of
color.
In the absence of information, children
may fill in the gaps with information they
encounter in the media.
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
In-Group and Out-Group Biases:
Development of Prejudice
In-group favoritism
Out-group prejudice
Out-group favoritism
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
The Extent to Which Children Hold
Racial and Ethnic Biases
A fixed view of personality traits
Overly high self-esteem
A social world in which people are sorted
into groups
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
White Fourth Graders’ Racially Biased Use
of Equity and Benevolence in a
Distributive Justice Task
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Peer Groups
Formed from proximity, similarity
Adopt similar dress and behavior
Peer Culture
– Relational
aggression
– Exclusion
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Friendship in Middle Childhood
Personal qualities, trust
become important
More selective in choosing
friends
Friendships can last
several years
Influence each other’s
behavior
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Peer Acceptance Categories
Popular
– Popular-prosocial
– Popular-antisocial
Rejected
– Rejected-aggressive
– Rejected-withdrawn
Controversial
Neglected
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Bullies and Their Victims
About 10 to 20% of children are bullies, and
about 15 to 30% are repeatedly victimized.
Victimization leads to adjustment problems,
including depression, loneliness, low selfesteem, and poor school performance.
The best way to reduce bullying is to change
youth environments, promote prosocial
behaviors, and enlist young people’s
cooperation.
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Gender Typing in
Middle Childhood
Gender Stereotypes
– Extend stereotypes to
include personalities and school
subjects
– More flexible about behavior
Gender Identity
– Boys more masculine
– Girls less feminine
Cultural Factors
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
School-Age Girls’ Ratings of the
Math Ability of Children and Adults
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Gender Identity and Behavior
Gender typicality
Gender contentedness
Pressure to conform to gender roles
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Peers, Gender Typing, and Culture
Sex-segregation strengthens during
middle childhood.
Interaction patterns vary with culture.
Ethnically integrated classrooms might
reduce gender-typed peer communication
as some children’s interaction style
influences others.
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Family Relationships
Parents
– Coregulation
Siblings
– Rivalry
– Companionship and
assistance
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Types of Families
Traditional
Employed parents
One-child
Gay & lesbian parents
Single parents
Divorced parents
Blended
Extended
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
International Divorce Rates
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Consequences of
Parental Divorce
Immediate
Instability, conflict, drop
in income
Parental stress,
disorganization
Consequences affected
by:
– Age
– Temperament
– Sex
Long-Term
Improved adjustment
after 2 years
Boys, children with
difficult temperaments
more likely to have
problems
Father’s involvement
affects adjustment
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Helping Families
Through Divorce
Divorce mediation
Joint custody
Child support
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Blended Families
Mother-Stepfather
Most frequent
Boys usually adjust
quickly
Girls adapt less
favorably
Older children and
adolescents of both
sexes display more
problems
Father-Stepmother
Often leads to reduced
father-child contact
Children in fathers’
custody often react
negatively
Girls & stepmothers slow
to get along at first, more
positive interaction later
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Maternal Employment and
Child Development
Benefits
– Higher self-esteem
– Positive family and peer relations
– Fewer gender stereotypes
– Better grades
– More father involvement
Drawbacks
Less
time for children
Risk of ineffective parenting
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Support for Working Parents
Flexible schedules,
job sharing
Sick leave
Involvement of other parent
Equal pay and opportunities
Quality child care
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Fears and Anxieties in
Middle Childhood
Fears of dark, thunder, lightning,
supernatural beings persist
School phobia
– 5 to 7 years: separation from
home
– 11 to 13 years: particular
aspects of school
Fears of real elements of
environment
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Child Sexual Abuse
Characteristics
of Victims
More often female
Reported in middle childhood
Characteristics
of Abusers
Usually Male
Parent or known by parent
Consequences
Emotional reactions
Physical symptoms
Effects on behavior
Prevention and
Treatment
Prevention: education
Treatment: long-term therapy
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Children’s Eyewitness Testimony
Age Differences
Suggestibility
Interventions
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008
Resources That
Foster Resilience
Personal
Family
School
Community
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008