1. Chapter 13: Social Behavior and Personality in School-Age Children 13.1 Self-Esteem 13.2 Relationships with Peers 13.3 Helping Others 13.4 Aggression 13.5 Families at the Turn of the Century

2. 13.1 Self-Esteem Measuring Self-Esteem Developmental Change in Self- Esteem Sources of Self-Esteem Consequences of Low Self- Esteem

3. Measuring Self-Esteem One common measure: Self-Perception Profile for Children Measures overall self-esteem as well as self-esteem in 5 specific areas: scholastic competence athletic competence social acceptance behavioral conduct physical appearance 13.1 Self-Esteem

4. Sample Items and Profiles from SPPC

5. Developmental Change in Self-Esteem Self-esteem is highest in preschoolers Drops during the elementary school years, due to social comparisons Self- esteem becomes more differentiated Academic self-esteem becomes well- defined 13.1 Self-Esteem

6. Children Who View Selves Negatively

7. Sources of Self-Esteem Children have higher self-esteem when parents are nurturing and involved and establish rules concerning discipline Comparisons with others (particularly peers) Self-esteem is high when others view positively and low when others view negatively 13.1 Self-Esteem

8. Consequences of Low Self-Esteem Children with low self-esteem more likely to have problems with peers, have psychological disorders, be involved in antisocial behavior, and do poorly in school Sometimes difficult to establish cause and effect relations regarding low self-esteem 13.1 Self-Esteem

9. 13.2 Relationships with Peers An Overview of Peer Interactions in School-Age Children Friendship Popularity and Rejection Prejudice

10. An Overview of Peer Interactions… Children get along better than when they were younger Perspective-taking plays a large role Spend more time with peers without adult supervision Children “hang out” and play physical games 13.2 Relationships with Peers

11. Activities that Children Do with Friends

12. Friendship Based on common interests and liking in children; intimacy is more important among adolescents, particularly girls Friends usually alike in age, gender, and race Children with good friends have higher self-esteem, are more cooperative, and deal better with life stresses 13.2 Relationships with Peers

13. Popularity and Rejection 5 common categories: popular, rejected, controversial, average, neglected Popular children tend to be attractive, smart, and socially skilled Rejected children are socially unskilled, related to parents’ behavior and discipline 13.2 Relationships with Peers

14. Prejudice Negative view of others based on group membership. Preschool children often are most prejudiced Declines with age, particularly when groups mix and work together toward common goals 13.2 Relationships with Peers

15. 13.3 Helping Others Skills Underlying Prosocial Behavior Situational Influences Socializing Prosocial Behavior

16. Skills Underlying Prosocial Behavior Perspective-taking: Children help when they can imagine another’s situation. Empathy: Children help when they can feel as another person is feeling 13.3 Helping Others

17. Situational Influences Children help when they feel responsible for the person in need Feel competent to help Are in a good mood When the cost of helping is modest 13.3 Helping Others

18. Socializing Prosocial Behavior Parents should use reasoning when disciplining children because it leads to perspective taking Model prosocial behavior for children Use praise, particularly dispositional praise 13.3 Helping Others

19. 13.4 Aggression The Nature of Children’s Aggressive Behavior Roots of Aggressive Behavior Victims of Aggression

20. The Nature of Children’s Aggressive Behavior Instrumental aggression: used to achieve specific goal (e.g., toy) Reactive aggression: one child’s behavior leads to another’s aggression Relational aggression: try to hurt others by undermining social relationships Forms of aggression change with age 13.4 Aggression

21. Relation of Childhood Aggression to Adult Crime

22. Roots of Aggressive Behavior Parents contribute, particularly through use of physical punishment TV also contributes, when children watch violent TV shows Cognitive processes affect how children interpret social situations and select appropriate responses 13.4 Aggression

23. Relation of Viewing TV Violence and Criminal Activity

24. Victims of Aggression Youngsters are likely to be victims of aggression when they are aggressive themselves or are withdrawn and submissive Children can avoid being victims by learning new ways of responding to aggression, by raising their self-esteem, and by having friends 13.4 Aggression

25. 13.5 Families at the Turn of the Century After-School Care Divorce

26. After-School Care Some children are latchkey children and care for themselves after school Many factors must be considered (e.g., child’s maturity, neighborhood safety) and parents must monitor their children Unsupervised self-care with peers is related to antisocial behavior 13.5 Families at the Turn of the Century

27. Self-Care Risk Factors and Antisocial Behavior

28. Divorce Immediately after, children behave less maturely and parenting less effective but this improves with time Divorce affects children’s conduct, school achievement, adjustment, self-concept, and relationships with parents Women’s remarriage: sons usually benefit from stepfather but daughters often resent 13.5 Families at the Turn of the Century