1Theories of Social Cognition•Focus on the internal forces as source of development•Self-socialization: children’s active shaping of theirown development through their activity preferences,friendship choices, etc.•Some are stage theories, others emphasize continuity.•Selman’s stage-theory of role-taking•Dodge’s Information Processing Theory of SocialProblem SolvingSelman’s Stage Theory of Role Taking• Role-taking: the ability to take another person’spoint of view.• Children begin unaware of different perspectives,then become better understanding someone else’sperspective, comparing perspectives, and thinkingfrom abstract perspectives.Dodge’s Information-Processing Theory of Social Problem Solving• Socialization as problem solving (encoding,interpreting social cues, establishing goals,strategies, evaluation of strategies)Cognitive Theories on Gender Typing First, basic gender identity is established. Then, children look for same-sex models andinformation on how to behave according to gender.• Children learn what is for boys vs. girls• Attend more to things for their own gender.Supporting evidence?Shortcomings?Ecological Theories•Emphasizes environmental and evolutionary factors.•Continuous development.•Bioecological Model• Active child•Ethlogical and Evolutionary Theories• Passive child2Bronfenbrenner’sBioecologicalmodelEthological and Evolutionary TheoriesLooks at the evolutionary bases of behavior, with a focus onthe adaptive or survival value of behavior• Evolutionary Psychology - during the evolution of aspecies certain genes predispose individuals to behave in away that increases survival, mating, and reproduction.These genes are passed on.Evolutionary Psychology on Gender Typing Emphasize biological basis of gender-roles. Hormonal influences during fetalstage/adolescence. Males benefit from rowdy, competitive, active,aggressive behavior. Males need spatial navigationskills. Females benefit from nurturing, communalbehavior.Supporting Evidence?Shortcomings?A unified
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