PSY 2410 Chapter 13

More independence and more social awareness

Less punishment and more impulse control; assigned chores perform well; time is tracked for various appointments; homework is done, including, by age 10, some multiday assignments; clothes and habits of peers are noticed and imitated; independence from parents is sougt

The fourth of Erikson's eight psychosocial crises, during which children attempt to master many skills, developing a sense of themselves as either industrious or inferior, competent or incompetent

Developed as children mature; their idea about themselves, including intelligence, personality, abilities, gender, race, and ethnic heritage. Becomes cloudy in middle childhood because of cognitive advances and social awareness.

The tendency to assess one's abilities, achievements, social status, and other attributes by measuring them against those of other people, especially one's peers

Over middle childhood most children become proud of their gender and ethnicity (aided by parents and teachers), nurturing pride and self-acceptance, school achievement

A type of materialism particularly evident as middle childhood ends and adolescnece begins

The capacity to adapt to significant adversity and to overcome serious stress

It is dynamic and a positive adaptation, and adversity must be significant (a threat to development)

Lifelong problems (ex. depression, anxiety) but recovery is more likely for those in middle childhood, not adolescence

Problem-solving ability, consistency and care in the family, friendships in peers, and good schools/welcoming institutions in the community

Minor disturbances. A long string of these day after day takes a greater toll than one isolated major stress

People who protect children in abusive or neglectful families

The legal and genetic relationships among family members. Possible structures include nuclear family, extended family, stepfamily, single-parent family, and many others

The way a family works to meet the needs of its members. Children need families to provide basic material necessities, to encourage learning, to help them develop self-respect, to nurture friendships, and to be a source of harmony and stability

Genetic connections, even distant ones, are often considered crucial aspects of family definition. Family structures can also be defined via the law (legally married adults and adopted children are considered family)

A family of relatives, in addition to the nuclear family, usually three or more generations living in one household

Physical necessities (food, clothing, shelter), encourage learning, help development of self-respect (pride), nurture friendships, and foster harmony and stability

Any risk factor damages a family if, and only if, it increases stress on the parents, who then become less patient and responsive

Correlates with problems in the children. family stress model, effects vary based on family strength, cultural values, and child characteristics

Chaotic households lead to emotional problems in children, conflict with adults makes children feel unsafe and unhappy, and family conflict can lead to less sleep and to suicidal thoughts

On average, in the US, children living with married biological parents do better in school with fewer emotional problems. Shared caregiving decreases the risk of neglect or abuse. Same-sex and adoptive parents are usually very committed to their child. In blended families, sibling rivarly is intensified between half-siblings and step siblings. Single-parent families may have lower income, less time for each child, and less stability.

Customs, rules, and rituals are passed down to younger children from slightly older ones to newcomers. Children learn them to gain status and acceptance

Become more intense and intimate during middle childhood. Many 6-year-olds befriend anyone of them same gender and age who will play with them but by age 10 they become selective.

Boys tend to expect friends to be companions; girls seek loyal confidantes

Friendly, cooperative, and well-liked; agressive, biting remarks

Neglected; aggressive-rejected (may be bully victims); withdrawn-rejected

A type of childhood rejection, when other children do not want to be friends with a child because of that child's antagonistic, confrontational behavior

A type of childhood rejection, when other children do not want to be friends with a child because of their timid, withdrawn, and anxious behavior

Someone who attacks others and who is attacked as well. (Also called provocative victims because they do things that elicit bullying)

Repeated, systematic efforts to inflict harm on other people through physical, verbal, or social attack

Physical (hitting, pinching, shoving, or kicking), verbal (teasing, taunting, or name-calling), relationship (destroying social acceptance and friendship), and cyber (using electronic means to harm another)

Bullies become bullies to counteract their low self-esteem; Bullies are quite perceptive in picking victims and strategies for maximum approval from peers and minimal punishment from adults; victims are chosen because of their appearance, bystanders are irrelevant; bullies are lonely, inept, and unhappy

Parenting/caregiving environment, peers, and lack of empathy

Lower school achievement for all involved, depression for victims

Whole school involvement, not just the identified bullies; encouragement of multicultural sensitivity; knowledge for peers on protecting victims

A crucial time. Concrete operational thought allows logic and awareness of the needs of others (theory of mind) and helps children move beyond the egocentrism of the younger child

Child culture, empathy, and education

Be loyal to your friends, don't tell adults about other children's misbehavior, and conform to peer standards of dress, talk, and behavior

The recognition of the basic humanity of others.

Personal experience, not intellectual maturation, is key. Close friendship is the best way to increase empathy. Reading about other children may encourage empathy

By ages 8 and 9, children favor fairness even when they themselves benefit from the unfairness. It can be scaffolded, with mentors using moral dilemmas to advance moral understanding and the underlying values

Children advance from retribution (hurting the transgressor) to restituition (restoring what was lost) between ages 8 and 10. Considered a moral advance.

Preconventional moral reasoning, conventional moral reasoning, postconventional moral reasoning. During middle childhood, children's answers shift from being primarily preconventional to being more conventional

Kohlberg's first level of moral reasoning, emphasizing rewards and punishments, egocentric

Kohlberg's second level of moral reasoning, emphasizing social rules, current observable practices

Kohlberg's third level of moral reasoning, emphasizing moral principles, going beyond what is concretely observed, abstractions