Ecology of the Peer Group

Belonging Needs & Social Interaction

Early Childhood (2-6)

Infancy/Toddlerhood (Birth-2 years)

Middle Childhood (Ages 6-13 years)

Adolescence 12-18 years

Belonging develops with family first. The baby feels belonging when mother holds, soothes, meets needs

Willingness of adults to provide opportunities for social interaction.

Children no longer need adults to structure their social interactions. They become more dependent on recognition/approval of their peers, rather than adults.

Most intimate relationships/interactions occur within best friends (1-2). Then they have groups of about 6-10 peers (clique), or there are larger groups (crowds) they may associate themselves with.

Sense of Self

Infancy/Toddlerhood

Early Childhood

Middle Childhood

Adolescence

Look at, vocalize to, smile at, touch- Distinguishing self from others

They begin to play in groups and play a variety of roles. Work through issues of power, compliance, cooperation, conflict.

Peer group provides opportunities for greater independence than family. Enhances sense of self.

Peer group activities escalate. Adolescents turn to parents regarding scholastic/occupational goals (Future-oriented decisions). Turn to peers for clothes, social activities, dating, recreation (present-oriented decisions).

Parenting Styles

Authoritative Parents

Authoritarian Parents

Permissive Parents

Warm, accepting, neither too controlling or too lax. Consistent with child-rearing management. Children generally attached/internalize their values.

Very strict, cold, do not adjust to adolescent's needs for greater autonomy. Children tend to alienate

Indulge their children by not providing standards, rules, or consequences, or who ignore their children's activities.

Social Competence dependent on:

Age

Situation

Personal Values

Children most susceptible to influence of peers in middle childhood. Less conforming in adolescence

Social conformity tends to be more apparent in ambiguous situations where kids are unsure what they're supposed to do

Conformity to antisocial behavior & neutral situations peaked in 9th grade, dropped off to previous levels

Peer group's influence on cognitive development: Social Cognition

Preoperational Stage

Concrete Operational Stage

Formal Operational Stage

Don't understand relationships between objects, people, events. Don't have ability to be aware of peer pressure, cannot project what peer group thinks of them.

Make theories about reality, often think they are clever. Often think they know it all, don't have to pay attention to other's opinions.

Able to think logically about abstract ideas/concrete facts. Believe they are the focus of others' attention, aware of others and need to conform to their expectations.

Generational Cohorts:

  1. The Silent generation
  1. Baby Boomers
  1. Generation X
  1. Millennial Generation

How does modeling affect children's Behavior?

Observing child may learn how to do something new

May learn consequences of behavior by observing someone else

Model may suggest how child can behave in new situation

Extent to which modeling influences, dependent on:

Situation

Model

Observer

Types of Morality

Morality of cooperation

Morality of constraint

Based on respects for person in authority

Behavior based on mutual understanding between equals

Children develop identities through meaningful interactions/accomplishments with peer group:

Provide validation for the self

Provide encouragement to try new things

Provide opportunities for comparison

Enable self-disclosure

Provide identity

Changes in play based on type of social interaction:

Solitary

Onlooker

Parallel

Associative

Plays alone/independently. Concentration is on activity instead of other children.

Watches other children play, but doesn't get involved other than to potentially initiate conversation

Plays alone, but with similar toys as other kids. May mimic behavior of other playing children.

Communication and social interaction are involved, but little/no organization. More interested in associating with other children than the actual task.

Cooperative

Cooperative play, activity is organized, group has purpose.

Forms of play:

Imitative Play

Exploratory Play

Testing play

Model-building play

5 Stages to developmental perspective on friendship patterns:

  1. Momentary playmateship (early childhood-4 years)
  1. One-way assistance (4-9 years)
  1. Two-way fair-weather cooperation (6-12)
  1. Intimate mutually shared relationships (9-15 years)
  1. Autonomous interdependent friendships (12+)

Ecological Forces in Formation of Gangs:

Cultural Group

Socioeconomics

Family Structure

Belief System

3 Kinds of leadership:

Authoritarian

Democratic (authoritative)

Laissez-faire (permissive)

Aggressive, submissive, discontented, competitive

High morale, cooperative, self-supporting, cohesive

Disorganized, frustrated, nonsupporting, fragmented