Slide 1 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. LIFE-SPAN DEVELOPMENT 15 A Topical Approach to John W. Santrock Peers and the Sociocultural World

Slide 2 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Peers and the Sociocultural World Peer Relations in Childhood and AdolescencePeer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence Friendship Play and Leisure Aging and the Social World Sociocultural Influences

Slide 3 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Peer Group Functions Peers—individuals about the same age or maturity level Peer groups provide source of information and comparison about world outside the family Peer influences can be negative or positive Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence

Slide 4 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Parent Influences on Peer Relations Choice of neighborhoods, churches, schools Recommend strategies to handle disputes or become less shy Encourage children to be tolerant or resist peer pressure Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence

Slide 5 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Changes in Peer Interaction in Childhood Early Childhood –Frequency of peer interaction increases Middle/Late Childhood –Children spend increasing time in peer interaction Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence

Slide 6 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Social Cognition Perspective taking—taking another’s point of view. –In elementary school, peer interaction and perspective-taking ability increase Social Knowledge Social Information-Processing Skills Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence

Slide 7 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Peer Statuses Popular Average Neglected Frequently nominated as a best friend; rarely disliked by peers Rejected Controversial Receive average number of positive and negative nominations from peers Infrequently nominated as a best friend but not disliked by peers Infrequently nominated as a best friend; actively disliked by peers Frequently nominated as someone's best friend and as being disliked Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence

Slide 8 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Bullying Significant numbers victimized –Boys and younger middle school students –Children who said they were bullied reported more loneliness and difficulty in making friends –Those who did the bullying more likely to have low grades, smoke and drink alcohol Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence

Slide 9 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Gender and Peer Relations Gender composition –From age 3, children prefer same-sex groups Group size –From age 6, boys prefer larger groups Interaction in same-sex groups –Boys: organized group games, rough-and- tumble –Girls: collaborative discourse Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence

Slide 10 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Conformity to Antisocial Peer Standards Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence

Slide 11 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Cliques and Crowds Cliques –Average 5 to 6 people –Usually same sex, age –Formed from shared activities, friendship Crowds –Larger than cliques –Usually formed based on reputation –May not spend much time together Friendship

Slide 12 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Progression of Peer Group Relations in Adolescence Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence

Slide 13 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Six Functions of Friendship Companionship Stimulation Physical support Ego support Social comparison Intimacy/affection –intimacy in friendship—self-disclosure and sharing of private thoughts Friendship

Slide 14 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Friendship during Childhood Children use friends as cognitive and social resources Quality important –Supportive friendships advantageous –Coercive, conflict-ridden friendships not Similar attitudes Friendship

Slide 15 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Friendship during Adolescence Need for intimacy intensifies Quality of friendship more strongly linked to feelings of well-being Important sources of support Mixed-age friendships Friendship

Slide 16 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Developmental Changes in Self-Disclosing Conversations Friendship

Slide 17 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Adult Friendship Family relationships are obligatory, ascribed; friendships optional, chosen –Friends are often similar in age; family members from different generations Gender Differences –Women: more close friends, more intimate –Men: more competitive, fewer friends, more functional –More cross-gender friendships, than childhood but still prefer same-gender Friendship

Slide 18 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Friendship in Late Adulthood Important role in support system Choose close friends over new friends Gender differences –Women: more depressed without a best friend; no change in desire for friends –Men: decreased desire for new & close friends in older adulthood Friendship

Slide 19 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Functions of Play Health Affiliation with peers Cognitive development Exploration Tension release, master anxiety and conflicts –Play therapy Play and Leisure

Slide 20 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Parten’s Classic Study of Play Onlooker Parallel Solitary Unoccupied Child not engaging in play as commonly understood; might stand in one spot Associative Cooperative Child plays alone, independently of others Child watches other children play Child plays separately from others, but in manner that mimics their play Play that involves social interaction with little or no organization Play that involves social interaction in group with sense of organized activity Play and Leisure

Slide 21 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Types of Play Pretense/ Symbolic Social Practice Sensorimotor Infants derive pleasure from exercising their sensorimotor schemes Games Repetition of behavior when new skills are being learned Occurs when child transforms physical environment into symbol Involves social interactions with peers Activities engaged in for pleasure; include rules Play and Leisure

Slide 22 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Social Theories of Aging Disengagement theory Activity theory Social breakdown- reconstruction theory To cope effectively, older adults should gradually withdraw from society The more active and involved older adults are, the more likely they are to be satisfied with their lives Breakdown begins by negative views of older adults, ends by labeling self; social reconstruction brought about by viewing older adults as competent Aging and the Social World

Slide 23 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Stereotyping of Older Adults Ageism—prejudice against other people because of age, especially prejudice against older adults Aging and the Social World

Slide 24 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Social Support Linked with a reduction in symptoms of disease Associated with ability to meet one’s own health care needs Decreases probability older adult will be institutionalized Associated with lower incidence of depression in older adults Aging and the Social World

Slide 25 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Successful Aging Many abilities maintained or even improved as we get older –Being active –Perceived control over the environment Aging and the Social World

Slide 26 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Seven factors most likely to predict high status for elderly Older persons have valuable knowledge Older persons control key family or community resources Older persons permitted to engage in useful and valued functions Role continuity throughout the life span Age-related role changes involve greater responsibility, authority, and advisory capacity The extended family is a common family arrangement More collectivistic than individualistic Sociocultural Influences

Slide 27 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. What Is Socioeconomic Status? Grouping of people with similar occupational, educational, and economic characteristics Sociocultural Influences

Slide 28 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Socioeconomic Variations in Families Higher SES parents: –Develop children’s initiative and delay gratification –Create home atmosphere in which children are more nearly equal participants –Less likely to use physical punishment –Less directive –More conversational with children Sociocultural Influences

Slide 29 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Psychological Ramifications of Poverty Powerlessness Vulnerable to disaster Alternatives are restricted Less prestige Lower quality home environments for children Sociocultural Influences

Slide 30 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Who is Poor? Women - feminization of poverty –1/3 of single mothers; 10% of single fathers Families –Economic pressure linked with parenting –Benefits to parents help children Elderly –10-12% overall, more among women and ethnic minorities Some ethnic minority individuals Sociocultural Influences

Slide 31 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Ethnicity and Families Family structure –Extended families in some minority groups –More single parents in some groups Similarities and differences in parenting behavior –Poverty—disproportionate in ethnic minorities — also has effects Acculturation can cause parent-child conflict Sociocultural Influences

Slide 32 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Differences and Diversity Recognizing differences important to getting along in diverse world Differences among ethnic groups too often conceived by majority as deficits of minorities. –Damaging to minorities Diversity within ethnic groups Sociocultural Influences

Slide 33 © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Ethnicity and Aging Double jeopardy - ageism and racism Health and wealth decrease faster in age than for White Americans Coping mechanisms –Extended family networks –Ethnic neighborhoods –Churches Sociocultural Influences