Lifespan Development: Ch 5, 6, and 7

Physical, Cognitive, Socioemotional, and Settings for Development Chapters 5, 6, and 7

Meredyth Fellows, West Chester University of PA

The Frontal Lobe • Development is on a delayed timetable • As frontal lobes mature throughout childhood and adolescence, our ability to think through, inhibit, and plan our actions gradually improves

Physical Development Two types of physical skills: – Gross Motor skills: large muscle movement – Fine Motor skills: small coordinated movement

Threats Inadequate Nutrition, Abuse, and Neglect – Stunting – Compromises bone, muscle, and brain development – Impairs gross and fine motor skills – Speaking skills – Socioemotional skills

Child Abuse/Maltreatment • Risk Factors • Any act that seriously – Parents’ endangers a child’s physical personality problems or emotional well-being – Life stress • Categories accompanied by – Physical abuse social isolation – Neglect – Children’s – Emotional abuse vulnerabilities – Sexual abuse • “Difficult child” • Medical problems • Premature infant

Interventions Teachers, social workers, and health-care professionals – Required by law to report abuse to child protective services.

Options: – Remove child from home; place in foster care; limit or terminate parental rights.

– If possible, leave the child in home while providing intensive support and counseling to caregivers.

Gender on Development • Gender Differences • Rewarding genderappropriate behavior • Gender schema theory emphasizes the role of cognition in gender development

Gender Identity: Social & Psychological dimensions of being either Male or Female

Gender on Development Gender Roles = sets of expectations of how Females & Males should think, act & feel

Social Role Theory Gender differences result from the contrasting roles of women & men In most cultures women < men • Women = domestic work, fewer hours in paid employment, lower pay, less power & less status • Eagly’s View = “as women adapted to roles with less power and less status in society, they showed more cooperative, less dominant profiles than men did. Thus the social hierarchy and division of labor are important cues of gender differences in power, assertiveness, and nurture”

Psychoanalytic Theory of Gender Freud Believed: • Oedipus or Electra Complex – Ages 5 or 6 Gender happens much earlier

Gender Schema Theory Once kids know their own gender label, they selectively watch and model their own sex

Social Cognitive Theory of Gender Gender development occurs though observation and imitation • Being rewarded and punished for gender-appropriate and genderinappropriate behavior • From birth onward males and females are treated differently

Parenting • Authoritarian • Authoritative • RejectingNeglectful • Permissive/ Indulgent

Authoritarian • Restrictive, punitive style, kid follows their directions and respect their work & effort • Firm limits and controls, little verbal exchange • “my way or the high way” Kids = unhappy, fearful, anxious comparing with others, fail to initiate activity, weak communication skills

Authoritative • • • •

Encourages kids to be independent Still have limits and controls Extensive verbal give and take Warm & nurturing toward kid

Kids = self control, cheerful, self reliant, cope well with stress

Rejecting-Neglecting/ Neglectful â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;Ż Uninvolved Kids = socially incompetent, poor self control, immature, delinquency

Permissive/Indulgent • Highly involved, but place few demands or controls • Kids do what they want • Parents believe this = creative and confident kids = not true!

Kids = rarely learn respect, no control over behavior, domineering, egocentric, poor friendships

Corporal Punishment Debate • 24 nations have laws banning spanking • In the US, most believe spanking acceptable – Illegal at day care and preschools – 1 in 10 parents admit to spanking.

Socioeconomic Status Economic status has a strong influence on childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s readiness and chances for academic success at start of school careers.

Media & Screen Time • Kids 2 – 4 should watch no more than 1 hour per day • Excess TV = passive learners, distracting them from homework, teaching stereotypes, violent models of aggression, unrealistic world views, decreased pay time, time with friends, physical activity, poor sleeping habits, obesity • Violent TV & Video Games = Violent Behavior in Kids

Bullying A situation in which one or more children (or adults) harass or target a specific child for systematic abuse Two categories • Bully-victim • Exceptionally aggressive children who repeatedly bully and get bullied themselves • May demonstrate both externalizing and internalizing tendencies

• Classic victim (internalizing) • Anxious, shy, low on the social hierarchy, unlikely to fight back