CHAPTER 3

Social Contexts and

Socioemotional Development

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Learning Goals
1. Describe two contemporary perspectives on
socioemotional development: Bronfenbrenner’s
ecological theory and Erikson’s life-span
development theory.
2. Discuss how the social contexts of families,
peers, and schools are linked with
socioemotional development.
3. Explain these aspects of children’s
socioemotional development: self-esteem,
identity, and moral concepts.

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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

Bronfenbrenner’s
theory focuses on
the social contexts
in which people live
and the people
who influence their
development.

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Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological
Theory cont’d
Microsystem: direct interactions
with parents, teachers, peers, and
others
Mesosystem: linkages between
microsystems such as family and
school, and relationships between
students and peers
Exosystem: experiences in
settings in which a child does not
have an active role influence the
child’s experiences

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Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological
Theory cont’d

Macrosystem: the broader

culture in which students and
teachers live.

Chronosystem: the
sociohistorical conditions of a
student’s development.

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Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory
Theory into Practice
Sid’s father left his family years ago and provides no support for
them. Sid and his three siblings live with their mother in a public
housing project for low-income families. They receive public
assistance in the form of reduced rent, money to live on, and
participation in a food program. Sid and his siblings receive free
school lunches, and do not have to pay the standard book rental
fee. In addition, they receive free medical care when ill or
injured, but Sid’s mother considers the care they receive to be
substandard. Recently, she contacted legal aid about obtaining
child support from her children’s father

Q.1: What aspects of Sid’s microsystem are discussed in

the example? Explain.

Q.2: What aspects of Sid’s exosystem are discussed in

the example? Explain.
© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.
Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory
Theory into Practice
Sid’s father left them years ago and provides no support for the
family. Sid and his three siblings live with their mother in a public
housing project for low-income families. They receive public
assistance in the form of reduced rent, money to live on, and
participate in a food program. Sid and his siblings receive free
school lunches, and do not have to pay the standard book rental
fee. In addition, they receive free medical care when ill or
injured, but Sid’s mother considers the care they receive to be
substandard. Recently, she contacted legal aid about obtaining
child support from her children’s father.

Q.3: How is the mesosystem currently operating for

Sid? Explain.

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Bronfenbrenner’s Theory in the
Classroom

 Think about children

embedded in several
environmental systems
and influences
 Attend to connections
between school and
families
 Recognize the
importance of
community, culture, and
socioeconomic status

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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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Erik Erikson’s Eight Stages of Human
Development

8 - Integrity vs. despair

7 - Generativity vs. stagnation
6 - Intimacy vs. isolation
5 - Identity vs. identity confusion
4 - Industry vs. inferiority
3 - Initiative vs. guilt
2 - Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
1 - Trust vs. mistrust

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Erikson’s Human Development
Stages

1 - Trust vs. Mistrust Developed through

0–1 years consistent love and
support

2 - Autonomy vs. Independence fostered

Shame and Doubt by support and
1–3 years encouragement

3 - Initiative vs. Guilt Developed by exploring

3–5 years and accepting challenges

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Erikson’s Human Development
Stages

4 - Industry vs. Mastery comes from

Inferiority
success and recognition
6 years–puberty
5 - Identity vs. Role Exploration of different
Confusion paths to attain a healthy
Adolescence identity

6 - Intimacy vs. Form positive, close

Isolation relationships with others
Early adult years

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Erikson’s Human Development
Stages

7 - Generativity vs. Transmitting

Stagnation something positive to
Middle Adulthood the next generation

8 - 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
Initiative
• Encourage social play
• Have children assume responsibility
• Structure assignments for success
Industry
• Nourish motivation for mastery
• Be tolerant of honest mistakes
Identity
• Recognize that identity is multidimensional
• Encourage independent thinking
• Stimulate students to examine different
perspectives

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Social Contexts and
Socioemotional Development

Social Contexts
of Development

Families Peers Schools

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Baumrind’s Parenting Styles
Neglectful Authoritarian
Parents are permissive and Parents place firm limits
uninvolved. Children have and controls on children.
poor self-control and low Children tend to be socially
achievement motivation. incompetent with poor
communication skills.

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

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 The Changing Family
Children 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 schoolchildren 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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Ethnic and Socioeconomic Variations
in Families

Minority students
- Families tend to be larger; depend more
on the extended family for support
- Single parents are more common
- Less educated; lower income
Low-income parents
- Tend to value external characteristics
such as obedience and neatness
- See education as the teachers’ job

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Ethnic and Socioeconomic Variations
in Families

 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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School-Family Linkages

Provide assistance Include

Communicate
to families families as
effectively with families
participants
about school programs
in school
and their child’s
decisions
progress

Encourage parents Involve families with

to be volunteers their children in
learning activities at
home

Coordinate community
collaboration

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Peer Statuses

Popular
Listen carefully, Rejected
act like themselves, Seldom
show enthusiasm, “best friend,”
are happy often disliked
Neglected
Infrequently
“best friend,”
are
not disliked

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Peer Statuses

Average
Controversial
Receive both
Frequently
positive and
“best friend,”
negative peer
often disliked
nominations

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 Friendships
Reflect: What is a friend?

Benefits of
Friendships
 Companionship
 Physical support
 Ego support
 Intimacy/affection
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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
education

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Schools for Adolescents
 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 are relegated to the
bottom of the school hierarchy.

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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 (measures of
such things are our skill in various subject areas, our
assessment of our appearance, and the skill we
have in peer relationships).

Academic Social Cognitive Physical

Self-esteem is the affective or emotional reaction to

one’s self-concept (reflects a person’s overall
confidence and satisfaction).
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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

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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

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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 Piaget’s Theory of Moral
Development
Heteronomous  Rules are unchangeable
morality properties of the world
age 4–7 Imminent justice—if the
rule is broken, punishment
is immediate

Autonomous  Laws are created by

morality people, and intention and
consequences should be
age 7–10 considered

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Piaget’s Theory of Moral Development
Theory into Practice

Alex accidentally trips and falls while carrying the

classroom globe. It breaks when he falls on top of it.
He is certain that he will be punished for this, in spite
of the fact that he was doing nothing wrong when the
accident occurred.

Q: Based on the information above, at which of Piaget’s

stages of moral development is Alex? Explain.

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 Kohlberg’s Levels of Moral
Development

 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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Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral
Development Theory into Practice

Sam starts to get out of his seat to sharpen his

pencil without permission. He stops because he
realizes that if he does, others might also do so and
this could result in disorder in the classroom.
Because of this, he understands that it is his duty to
follow the rules.

Q: At which of Kohlberg’s stages of moral development is

Sam functioning?

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Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral
Development Theory into Practice

Sam starts to get out of his seat to sharpen his

pencil without permission. He stops because he
realizes that if he does, he will be punished.

Q: At which of Kohlberg’s stages of moral development

is Sam functioning? Explain.

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral
Development Theory into Practice

Sam starts to get out of his seat to sharpen his pencil

without permission. He stops because he realizes
that if he does, it will displease his teacher.

Q: At which of Kohlberg’s stages of moral development

is Sam functioning? Explain.

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Reflection & Observation
Reflection:
 Recall a cheating incident. What
factors influenced the decision to
cheat?
Observation:
 According to the students, what
factors influence their cheating?
 According to Kohlberg’s theory, at
what level and stage of moral
reasoning is each of the students
in the video?
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 Enter the Debate
Should teachers teach students values/morality?
YES NO

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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

© 2008 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Crack the Case
The Fight

1. What are the issues in this case?

2. At what stage of moral development would
you expect these boys to be, based on the
information you have? What predictions can
you make regarding each boy’s sense of self
and emotional development?
3. What can you say about the boys’ mothers?

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Crack the Case
The Fight

4. What do you think about the punishment

that Luke received? And John? How
would you have handled this situation?
5. What impact do you think this will have
on the boys’ future relationship? What
impact will it have on their attitudes
toward school?

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