Preschool (Part 3)

Self-Development Resolving Psychosocial Conflict Initiative v. Guilt Preschool-age children face a conflict between desire to act independently & to do things on their own Guilt comes when efforts fail They see themselves as a unique person & begin to make decisions on their own Parents can help resolve conflict by providing them with opportunities to act self-reliantly while still giving guidance & encourage initiative Self-concept Set of beliefs about what you are like as an individual Their self-descriptions are not necessarily accurate They frequently overestimate their skills & knowledge They have an optimistic view of the future because they haven’t begun comparing their performance against others’

Resolving Psychosocial Conflict

Initiative v. Guilt

Preschool-age children face a conflict between desire to act independently & to do things on their own

Guilt comes when efforts fail

They see themselves as a unique person & begin to make decisions on their own

Parents can help resolve conflict by providing them with opportunities to act self-reliantly while still giving guidance & encourage initiative

Self-concept

Set of beliefs about what you are like as an individual

Their self-descriptions are not necessarily accurate

They frequently overestimate their skills & knowledge

They have an optimistic view of the future because they haven’t begun comparing their performance against others’

Racial & Ethnic Awareness For Many Preschoolers, Racial Awareness Comes Early Infants can distinguish between skin colors Later children begin to attribute meaning to racial characteristics By 3 or 4 they begin to identify their self as a member of a particular racial group Ethnic identity comes later than racial identity Race dissonance: minority children indicating preferences for majority values

For Many Preschoolers, Racial Awareness Comes Early

Infants can distinguish between skin colors

Later children begin to attribute meaning to racial characteristics

By 3 or 4 they begin to identify their self as a member of a particular racial group

Ethnic identity comes later than racial identity

Race dissonance: minority children indicating preferences for majority values

Gender Identity Established by Preschool Shows up in play Prefers same-sex playmates & games They have strict ideas about how boys & girls are supposed to act Gender-appropriate behavior more stereotyped than many adults Become less rigid by age 7 but never disappears They have expectations about male & female behaviors

Established by Preschool

Shows up in play

Prefers same-sex playmates & games

They have strict ideas about how boys & girls are supposed to act

Gender-appropriate behavior more stereotyped than many adults

Become less rigid by age 7 but never disappears

They have expectations about male & female behaviors

Views of Gender Identity Biology & Gender Hormones affect gender-based behaviors Girls with high androgens prenatally have more male stereotyped behaviors Hormones influence the growth of the brain Psychoanalytic View Identification The process in which a child attempts to be similar to the same-sex parent Freud’s phallic stage The Oedipal & Electra complexes

Biology & Gender

Hormones affect gender-based behaviors

Girls with high androgens prenatally have more male stereotyped behaviors

Hormones influence the growth of the brain

Psychoanalytic View

Identification

The process in which a child attempts to be similar to the same-sex parent

Freud’s phallic stage

The Oedipal & Electra complexes

The Edible Complex

Views of Gender Identity Social Learning View Children learn gender-related behaviors & expectations from others Involved imitation, modeling, reward, & punishment Cognitive View Establishing a gender identity used to form a sense of identity To establish a gender identity gender schema (cognitive framework that organizes information relevant to gender) is developed Gender-specific rigidity is partly a reflection of preschooler’s understanding of gender Influenced by beliefs about sexual differences & these differences are based on appearance, not biology By 4 or 5 a sense of gender constancy (awareness that people are male or female depending on fixed, unchangeable biological factors) Gender stereotyping: assuming certain behaviors are appropriate & others not

Social Learning View

Children learn gender-related behaviors & expectations from others

Involved imitation, modeling, reward, & punishment

Cognitive View

Establishing a gender identity used to form a sense of identity

To establish a gender identity gender schema (cognitive framework that organizes information relevant to gender) is developed

Gender-specific rigidity is partly a reflection of preschooler’s understanding of gender

Influenced by beliefs about sexual differences & these differences are based on appearance, not biology

By 4 or 5 a sense of gender constancy (awareness that people are male or female depending on fixed, unchangeable biological factors)

Gender stereotyping: assuming certain behaviors are appropriate & others not

Social Lives Developing Friendships Around 3 friendships develop Relationships with peers are based on the desire for companionship, play, & fun With age ideas about friendship evolve Younger preschoolers friendships are based on doing things together Older preschoolers friendships are based on trust, support, & shared interests

Developing Friendships

Around 3 friendships develop

Relationships with peers are based on the desire for companionship, play, & fun

With age ideas about friendship evolve

Younger preschoolers friendships are based on doing things together

Older preschoolers friendships are based on trust, support, & shared interests

Play Two Kinds of Play Functional play Simple repetitive activities typical of 3-year olds Constructive play Manipulation of objects to produce or build something Gives children the chance to test developing physical & constructive skills & practice fine muscle movements They also learn cooperation

Two Kinds of Play

Functional play

Simple repetitive activities typical of 3-year olds

Constructive play

Manipulation of objects to produce or build something

Gives children the chance to test developing physical & constructive skills & practice fine muscle movements

They also learn cooperation

Four Types of Play Parallel Play Children play with similar toys in a similar manner without interaction Onlooker Play Children simply watch others at play Associative Play Two or more children actually interact & share or borrow toys or materials Cooperative Play Children play with one another, taking turns, playing games, or devising contests Associative & cooperative play occur in the latter part of preschool years

Parallel Play

Children play with similar toys in a similar manner without interaction

Onlooker Play

Children simply watch others at play

Associative Play

Two or more children actually interact & share or borrow toys or materials

Cooperative Play

Children play with one another, taking turns, playing games, or devising contests

Associative & cooperative play occur in the latter part of preschool years

Understanding Others Theory of Mind Begin to see the world from the perspective of others Understand the concept of “pretend” but not the concept of “belief” Autism Psychological disorder producing significant language & emotional difficulties 4 in 10,000 born autistic, mainly males They lack a connection with others & avoid interpersonal situations

Theory of Mind

Begin to see the world from the perspective of others

Understand the concept of “pretend” but not the concept of “belief”

Autism

Psychological disorder producing significant language & emotional difficulties

4 in 10,000 born autistic, mainly males

They lack a connection with others & avoid interpersonal situations

Biological Changes Myelination of the Frontal Lobes Hormonal Changes Related to Emotions Culture Plays a Significant Role in the Interpretation of Others’ Actions

Myelination of the Frontal Lobes

Hormonal Changes Related to Emotions

Culture Plays a Significant Role in the Interpretation of Others’ Actions

Parenting Styles Authoritarian Parenting Controlling, punitive, rigid, cold, and not tolerating disagreement Authoritative Parenting Firm, setting clear limits & consistent limits allowing give-&-take & encouraging independence Permissive Parenting Lax with inconsistent feedback with little or no limits & requiring little of the children Uninvolved Parenting Little or no interest in children, indifferent & rejecting the children

Authoritarian Parenting

Controlling, punitive, rigid, cold, and not tolerating disagreement

Authoritative Parenting

Firm, setting clear limits & consistent limits allowing give-&-take & encouraging independence

Permissive Parenting

Lax with inconsistent feedback with little or no limits & requiring little of the children

Uninvolved Parenting

Little or no interest in children, indifferent & rejecting the children

Morality Moral Development Changes in one’s sense of justice & what’s right & wrong, & the behavior related to moral issues Piaget’s 3-stages of Moral Development 1. Heteronomous morality (4 – 7 years) Rules are seen as unchanging & unchangeable Immanent justice predominates around this time 2. Incipient cooperation (7 – 10 years) Games become more clearly social with formal rules as to “right” & “wrong” 3. Autonomous cooperation (Around 10 years +) Awareness that rules can be changed & modified if there is agreement

Moral Development

Changes in one’s sense of justice & what’s right & wrong, & the behavior related to moral issues

Piaget’s 3-stages of Moral Development

1. Heteronomous morality (4 – 7 years)

Rules are seen as unchanging & unchangeable

Immanent justice predominates around this time

2. Incipient cooperation (7 – 10 years)

Games become more clearly social with formal rules as to “right” & “wrong”

3. Autonomous cooperation (Around 10 years +)

Awareness that rules can be changed & modified if there is agreement

Morality Social Learning Theory The environment produces prosocial behavior Not all prosocial behavior needs reinforcement to be learned Abstract modeling paves the way for the development of more general rules & principles Empathy & Moral Behavior Empathy: the understanding of what another feels Preschoolers attempts to avoid negative emotions can lead them to act in a moral manner

Social Learning Theory

The environment produces prosocial behavior

Not all prosocial behavior needs reinforcement to be learned

Abstract modeling paves the way for the development of more general rules & principles

Empathy & Moral Behavior

Empathy: the understanding of what another feels

Preschoolers attempts to avoid negative emotions can lead them to act in a moral manner

Aggression & Violence Aggression Intentionally inflicting injury or harm on to another person Usually decreases through preschool years Emotional self-regulation Capability to adjust emotions to a desired state & level of intensity Instrumental aggression Aggression motivated by the desire to obtain a concrete goal Rational aggression Nonphysical aggression Intended to hurt another’s feelings

Aggression

Intentionally inflicting injury or harm on to another person

Usually decreases through preschool years

Emotional self-regulation

Capability to adjust emotions to a desired state & level of intensity

Instrumental aggression

Aggression motivated by the desire to obtain a concrete goal

Rational aggression

Nonphysical aggression Intended to hurt another’s feelings

Television Violence Exposure to Models Aggressive behaviors more likely with exposure TV violence leads to higher levels of aggression Cognitive Approaches Key to understanding moral development is to understand a preschooler’s interpretation of others’ behavior in the environmental context

Exposure to Models

Aggressive behaviors more likely with exposure

TV violence leads to higher levels of aggression

Cognitive Approaches

Key to understanding moral development is to understand a preschooler’s interpretation of others’ behavior in the environmental context