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CHAPTER 3
Social Contexts and
Socioemotional Development
 Social Contexts and
Socioemotional Development

Contemporary
Theories

Bronfenbrenner’s Erikson’s
Ecological Life-Span
Theory Development Theory

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Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory

The primary focus of

Bronfenbrenner’s
Theory is the social
contexts in which
children live and the
people who influence
their development.

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Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory
Continued

Microsystem: Within this system the

student has direct interactions with
parents, teachers, peers, and others.
Mesosystem: This system involves the
linkages between microsystems such as
family and school, and relationships
between students and peers.
Exosystem: This system works when
settings in which a child does not have
an active role influence the student’s
experiences.

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Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory
Continued

Macrosystem: This system involves

the broader culture in which students
and teachers live.

Chronosystem: The sociohistorical

conditions of a student’s development.

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 Erikson’s Life-Span
Development Theory
Development proceeds in stages.

Each stage is characterized

by a psychosocial challenge or
crisis.

Stages reflect the motivation

of the individual.
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 Erikson’s Human
Development Stages
 Trust vs. Mistrust  Developed through
0–2 years consistent love and
support.
 Autonomy vs. Shame  Independence fostered
and Doubt by support and
2–4 years encouragement.

 Initiative vs. Guilt  Developed by exploring

4–6 years and accepting challenges

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 Erikson’s Human
Development Stages
 Industry vs. Inferiority  Mastery comes from
6–8 years success and recognition

 Identity vs. Role  Exploration of different

Confusion paths to attain a healthy
Adolescence identity

 Intimacy vs. Isolation  Form positive, close

Early adult years relationships with others

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 Erikson’s Human
Development Stages
 Generativity vs. Stagnation  Transmitting something
Middle Adulthood positive to the next
generation
 Integrity vs. Despair  Life review and
Late Adulthood retrospective evaluation
of one’s past

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Strategies for Erikson’s Stages
of Development

Identity
• Recognize that identity is multi-
dimensional
• Encourage independent thinking
• Stimulate students to examine
different perspectives
•Industry
• Nourish motivation for mastery
• Be tolerant of honest mistakes
•Initiative
• Encourage social play
• Have children assume responsibility
• Structure assignments for success

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 Contemporary Theories
in the Classroom
Bronfenbrenner Erikson
 Child is embedded in several  Encourage imagination
environmental systems and social play— Initiative
 Important link between  Nourish the motivation
schools and families for mastery—Industry
 Community, culture, and
socioeconomic status are
 Recognize the value of
powerful influences self-exploration— Identity

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 Social Contexts and
Socioemotional Development

Social Contexts
of Development

Families Peers Schools

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 The Changing Family
Divorce and Single Parenting

In families of divorce
- The quality of parental relationships, the use of
support services, the type of custody, and the
socioeconomic status all affect students.
- Elementary school children did best when the parent
and the school environment were authoritative.

Single parents
- Have less time, money, and energy, yet many still find
ways to raise competent children.

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 The Changing Family
Socioeconomic Variations Affect
Student Development
Minority students
- Families tend to be larger and depend more
on the extended family for support.
Low-income parents
- Tend to value external characteristics such as
obedience and neatness.
- See education as the teachers’ job.
Middle-class families
- Often place high value on internal characteristics
such as self-control and delayed gratification.
- See education as a mutual responsibility.
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 Baumrind’s Parenting Styles
Neglectful
Authoritarian
Parents are permissive and
Parents place firm limits and
uninvolved. Children have
controls on children. Children
poor self-control and low
tend to be socially incompetent
achievement motivation.
with poor communication skills.

Indulgent Authoritative
Parents are nurturing and
Parents are highly involved but
supportive. Children are self-
set few restrictions. Children
reliant, get along with peers,
have poor self-control.
and have high self-esteem.

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Family and School Linkages

Frequent and positive Share child-rearing skills,

communication. the importance of family
involvement, and facts on
adolescent development.

Assignments that
involve the family Encourage family
in at-home learning involvement in
activities. school decision-making
through PTO/PTA
boards, volunteerism
councils, and
organizations.

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 Schools Change with
Student Development
Early Childhood and Elementary School

• Protected educational environment with one

or two teachers
• High-quality Head Start interventions are
effective
• Great emphasis on peer groups
• Developmentally appropriate educational
plans

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 Schools Change with
Student Development
Adolescents in School

 Middle schools are massive, impersonal

institutions where students trust few adults and
have limited access to health care and
counseling.
 School’s emphasis on achievement often
overshadows physical and socioemotional
changes causing stress.
 Beginning students relegated to the bottom of
the school hierarchy.

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 Peer Relationships

Popular
•Listen carefully Rejected
•Act like themselves •Seldom
•Show enthusiasm “best friend”
•Are happy •Often disliked
Neglected
•Infrequently Controversial
“best friend” •Frequently
•Are “best friend”
not disliked •Often disliked

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 Social Contexts and
Socioemotional Development

Socioemotional
Development

Moral
The Self Development

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 Self-Concept and Self-Esteem
Self-Concept is a cognitive appraisal of our social,
physical, and academic competence (a measure of such
things are our skill in various subject areas, our assessment
of our appearance, and the skill we have in peer relationships).

Academic Cognitive
Social skills Physical
skills

Self-Esteem is the affective or emotional reaction to one’s

self-concept (reflects a person’s overall confidence and
satisfaction with oneself ).
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 Improving Children’s
Self-Esteem

Encourage and facilitate


Competence in areas students find important

Improvement of academic skills through the use of
professional tutors, parent volunteers, and peer tutors

Emotional support and social approval by parents,
friends, and peers

Social skills that promote positive peer relationships

Coping skills to face the day-to-day problems as they
appear
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Marcia’s Four Statuses of Identity

Identity Diffusion Adolescents have not yet explored

meaningful alternatives or made
commitments
Identity Foreclosure Adolescents have made a commitment
without exploring alternatives

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Marcia’s Four Statuses of Identity

Identity Moratorium Alternatives have been explored

but commitments are absent

Identity Achievement Alternatives have been explored

and commitments have been
made
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 Domains of Moral Development
Piaget’s Theory of Moral Development

Heteronomous morality  Rules are unchangeable

age 4–7 properties of the world
Imminent justice—if the rule
is broken, punishment is
immediate

Autonomous morality
 Laws are created by people,
age 7–10 and intention and
consequences should be
considered.

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Domains of Moral Development
Kohlberg’s Theory

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Domains of Moral Development
Kohlberg’s Theory

Preconventional
 Moral reasoning is
controlled by external
rewards and punishments

Conventional
 Internal standards are
imposed by others

Postconventional
 Morality is internal, not
based on external
standards

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 Moral Education

1. Hidden Curriculum
School personnel serve as models of ethical behavior.
Classroom rules and peer relationships transmit positive
attitudes to students.

2. Character Education
Schools take a direct approach to teaching moral literacy
and design an environment that rewards proper behavior.

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 Moral Education
3. Values Clarification
Schools design programs that allow students to clarify their
own values and understand the values of others.
4. Cognitive Moral Education
Schools base programs on the belief that students should learn
to value things like democracy and justice as moral reasoning
develops.
5. Service Learning
Schools encourage students to be involved in the community
by becoming a tutor, helping the elderly, volunteering in
hospitals or day care, etc.

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Children’s Prosocial Behavior
Classroom teachers need to:
 Emphasize consideration of others’ needs

 Model prosocial behavior

 Identify and encourage positive classroom behavior

 Facilitate perspective taking

 Foster altruism in classroom projects

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