Chapter 8:

Social and Personality Development in Early Childhood

In This Chapter

Theories of Social and Personality Development

Psychoanalytic Perspectives

Freud: gain control over bodily functions and renegotiate parent relationships Anal Stage Phallic Stage

Theories of Social and Personality Development

Psychoanalytic Perspectives

Erikson: agreed with Freud with added focus on social skill development Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt Initiative versus Guilt

Theories of Social and Personality Development

Social-Cognitive Perspectives

Person perception: increasing ability to classify others Use category trait labels. Describe others’ behavior patterns of

others. Categorize based on observation

characteristics.

Theories of Social and Personality Development

Social-Cognitive Perspectives

Understanding Rule Categories Social conventions Moral rules Differentiation of response Increased cognitive capabilities and adult

emphasis

Theories of Social and Personality Development

Social-Cognitive Perspectives

Understanding Others’ Intentions

Children do understand intentions to some degree: Punishment is for intentional acts. Actors’ intentions matter. Choices bound by consequences.

Theories of Social and Personality Development

Social-Cognitive Perspectives

Racism in Preschool Classroom Early judgments reflect ego thinking and

cognitive immaturity, not true racism.

Judgment of others related to race schemas.

Understanding of cultural racial stereotypes and prejudices slowly acquired.

True or false?

Children know more about intentions than Piaget theorized but still have limited ability to base their judgments entirely

on intentions.

Figure 8.1 A Test of Children’s Understanding of Intentionality

FIGURE TO COME

Personality and Self-ConceptA Brief Overview

Gains in social environment understanding contribute to emergence of distinctive personality.

Self-concept becomes more complex.

Exercise of greater control over behavior is aided.

Personality and Self-ConceptTransition from Temperament to Personality

Personality represents combination of temperament at birth and knowledge about temperament-related behavior during childhood.

Social rewards encourage impulse control and behavior is modified.

Personality and Self-ConceptMe, myself, and more

Components of Self-Concept

Gender Development

Explanations and Theory: Psychoanalytic Explanations Social-Cognitive Explanations Gender Schema Theory

Gender DevelopmentGender Concept Sequence

Gender understanding develops in stages: Gender identity Gender stability Gender constancy

What is this five-year-old conveying about her understanding of gender?

“This is how I will

look when I grow up.”

Figure 8.2 Gender Stereotyping in a Child’s Drawing

Gender DevelopmentInformation-Processing Approach

Gender schema theory: development of gender schema underlies gender development and occurs with recognition of gender differences Schema organization First primitive gender schema and

assimilation

Gender DevelopmentSex-Role Knowledge

What are the stereotypes?

Gender DevelopmentSex-Typed Behavior

Sex-type behavior: Develops earlier than ideas about gender

Learned from older same-sex children

Learned differently by gender

Figure 8.3 Gender and Playmate Preferences

How would you structure preschooler play opportunities?

Family Relationships and StructureAttachment

Securely attached preschoolers exhibit fewer behavior problems.

Insecurely attached children display more anger and aggression at daycare and preschool.

By age 4, children form goal-corrected partnerships.

Family Relationships and StructureParenting Styles: Diana Baumrind

Figure 8.4 Control, Acceptance, Parenting Style

Family Relationships and StructureParenting Styles: Authoritarian

Parenting Characteristics High levels of demand and control Low levels of warmth and communication

Child Consequences Good school performance Lower self-esteem and less peer interaction

skills Some subdued; others highly aggressive

Family Relationships and StructureParenting Styles: Permissive

Parenting Characteristics High in warmth and communication Low in demand and control

Child Consequences Poor adolescent school performance More aggressive and immature Less responsible and independent

Family Relationships and StructureParenting Styles: Authoritative

Parenting Characteristics High in warmth and communication High in demand and control

Child Consequences Higher self-esteem, independence, and

altruism More parental compliance Self-confident and achievement-oriented Better school performance

Family Relationships and StructureParenting Styles: Uninvolved

Parenting Characteristics Low in levels of demand and control Low in levels of warmth and communication

Child Consequences Disturbances in social relationships More impulsive and antisocial in adolescence Less competent with peers Much less achievement-oriented in school

Figure 8.5 Parenting Style and Grades

Family Relationships and Structure

Effects of Parenting Styles: Overview

Authoritative Parents More likely to be involved in child’s school Often use inductive discipline Not equally effective for all children

Family Relationships and StructureEffects of Parenting Styles: Spanking

Most parents believe spanking effective if used sparingly Short-term effects Long-term effects Premack’s principle

Ethnicity, Socio-Economic Status and Parenting Styles

Authoritative pattern Positive outcomes seen in all ethnic

groups More common in white families and

middle class Usually more common among intact

families Least common among Asian Americans

Figure 8.6 Social Class, Ethnicity, and Parenting Style

Ethnicity, Socio-Economic Status and Parenting Styles

Authoritarian pattern in Asian American families High levels of school achievement in

Asian American children Economic success Maintenance of ethnic identity

Ethnicity, Socio-Economic Status and Parenting Styles

Authoritarian pattern in African American families Enhances children’s potential for self-

control and success Prepares children to deal with social

forces such as racism that impede social success

Reduces use of substance abuse

What kind of parenting style was used to raise you? What effects did it have on your development? What style will you use as a parent?

What can single parents do to improve the developmental progress of their children?

Questions To PonderQuestions To PonderQuestions To PonderQuestions To Ponder

Family Relationships and Structure

Family Structure: Diversity in Two-Parent and Single-Parent Families Only 70% of U.S. children lived with both

biological parents in 2007. Many children from two-parent families

have experienced single-parenting. 2% of U.S. children live with custodial

grandparents.

Ethnicity and U.S. Family Types

Figure 8.7 Ethnicity and Family Structure

Family Structure and EthnicitySingle Parents

Family Structure: Single-Parent Families More common among African Americans

and Native Americans Single mothers are less likely to marry. Grandparents and other relatives

traditionally help support single mothers. Some single mothers are financially secure.

Family Relationships and StructureOther Types of Family Structures

Custodial Grandparents Aging and parenting stress cause anxiety

and depression.

Gay and Lesbian Parents No expressed social or cognitive

developmental differences between the children of gay and lesbian parents and the children of heterosexual couples.

Family Relationships and StructureDivorce: Impact on Children

True or False?

When considering the psychological effects on children, the optimal family structure has two biological parents.

Use information from your text to support your answer.

Family Relationships and StructureUnderstanding Results from Psychological

Research

• Parenthood or divorce reduces financial and emotional resources available to a child

• Any transition involves upheaval• Authoritative parenting likely diminishes

during upheaval• Extended family networks mitigate impact

Peer RelationshipsKinds of Play

Successful play associated with development of social skills

Peer RelationshipsGroup Entry and Play

Poor group entry skills Lead to aggressive behaviors Optimize peer rejection May change with social skills training to

help gain acceptance for rejected children

Can you define two types of aggression?

Aggression: Behavior intended to hurt another or object

Instrumental Hostile

Under what circumstances would you most likely observe each kinds of preschool aggression?

Peer RelationshipsWhy does aggression change during

preschool years?

Peer RelationshipsDevelopment of Aggression

Aggression Theories Aggression-frustration hypothesis Reinforcement and modeling hypothesis

(Bandura) Trait aggression (genetic base) Environmental influence

Prosocial Behavior and Friendships

Prosocial behavior: Actions that benefit or help another person Development of prosocial behavior

increases during preschool years. Parental influences affect children’s

empathy.

Prosocial Behavior and Friendships

Friendships 18 months: some toddlers express

friendships 3 years: 20% of preschoolers have stable

playmate 4 Years: 30% of time spent with another

child

Early friendships become more stable with time, but are still primitive by adult standards.