Prof. Greg Francis 7/31/081Influences outside the familyIIE 366: DevelopmentalPsychologyGreg FrancisLecture 34Chapter 15: Influences Beyondthe FamilyModule 15.1 PeersModule 15.2 Electronic MediaModule 15.3 Institutional InfluencesChildren and Their Development, 4/e by Robert Kail15.1 PeersDevelopment of Peer InteractionsFriendshipRomantic RelationshipsGroupsPopularity and Rejection15.1 Development of PeerInteractions Two 6-month-olds will look, smile, and point at eachother Nonsocial play (watching others but playing alone) Peer interactions become more sophisticated: parallel play: play alone but pay attention to what other childrenare doing, soon after 1st birthday associative play: engage in similaractivities, smile, talk, offer toys;15-18 months cooperative play: organize play around a theme and take onroles (hide-and-seek); 2nd birthday15.1 Development of PeerInteractions Most subsequent play is cooperative play Make believe play: Often use props Children are notconfusedbetween realityand make-believe reflects culturalvalues andpromotescognitivedevelopment15.1 Development of PeerInteractions Solitary play: common and normal unless children justwander aimlessly or hover Parents’ scaffold behaviors Playmate: both at child’s level and more advanced level Social director: plan for play periods Mediator: when playmates disagree Coach: how to initiate play, how to make joint decisions, howto resolve conflicts (not always good advice) Quality of parent-child attachment influences children’splay indirectly Internal working model of how relationships operateProf. Greg Francis 7/31/08215.1 Friendship Based on common interests and mutual liking inchildren Elementary children expect friends to be trustworthy andhelpful Intimacy and loyalty are more important among adolescents,particularly girls» Girls are more likely to have one “best” friend Children with good friends have higher self-esteem,are more likely to act prosocially, and are less likely tobe lonely and depressed15.1 Friendship Friends usually alike in age,gender, and race Can change with circumstances Opposite sex friends areunusual, and generallyindicate extremes Everyone wants to be their friend Almost no one wants to be theirfriend and they get a friend of theopposite sex as a last resort15.1 Romantic Relationships While uncommon in elementary school, romanticrelationships become more common as children develop 50% of 15-year olds and 70% of 18 year olds had been in aromantic relationship over the previous 1.5 years Function changes with age Younger adolescents find companionship and outlet forsexual exploration Trust and support are important for older adolescents Cultural factors influence romantic relationships Children of parents that encourage independence are morelikely to have date earlier and more often European Americans vs. Asian or Hispanic Americans15.1 Romantic Relationships By end of high school, roughly two-thirds of Americanadolescents will have had intercourse at least once Sexual activity is influenced by attitudes of parents andpeers toward sex Teenagers are less likely to have sex when parents monitortheir activities, when they feel close to their parents, and whenparents’ discourage sex Teens are more likely to have sex if they believe their peersare having sex 1 in 11 adolescent girls become pregnant (half of themgive birth) 500,000 births each year The mothers and their children often have lots of problems15.1 Romantic Relationships Few teens use contraceptives Ignorance: many adolescents are serous misinformed aboutconception Illusion of invulnerability: deny reality Lack of motivation: some girls want to become pregnant togain status as an adult and to have someone to love them Lack of access: don’tknow where to buycondoms, embarrassedto ask parents aboutcontraceptives, don’tknow how to use them15.1 Romantic Relationships In one study, college students in the US were asked (as extra credit for a class) to buycondoms and write a report about the experience Students thought it would be easy, but ended up with titles like“The Ordeal,” “Shocker: The First Time I Bought Condoms,” “The Great CondomAdventure,” “Me Buying Condoms?!?” There was a consistent narrative Preplanning: e.g., pick an empty store, late at night Walking in the store: often sat in the parking lot to build up courage Looking inconspicuous while wandering: felt paranoid while looking for thecondoms, as if the cameras were watching them Finding the “hidden” condom location: often unable to find them, and unwilling toask anyone for help Making their selection: price, brand, style, color, size, pleasure enhancing features,and additives like lubrication and spermicide Carrying and hiding the condoms: bought something else to camouflage thecondoms they were carrying Selecting a cashier and rushing through checkout: wanted a young female whowas non-maternal Anticipating ridicule: terrified the cashier would make a comments (some actuallydid) Walking out of the store: reactions ranged from relief, to embarrassment toempowermentProf. Greg Francis 7/31/08315.1 Romantic Relationships Abstinence programs not consistently effective Comprehensive sex education programs are: Teach biological aspects of sex Emphasize responsible sexual behavior Discussions of the pressures to become sexually involved andways to respond to this pressure Role-playing sessions allow students to practice strategies forrefusing to have sex Youths from these programs are less likely to have sex andare more likely to use contraceptives when they do have sex15.1 Romantic Relationships 15% of teens experience a period of questioning regarding theirsexual orientation 5% of teens in US describe their sexual orientation as gay Heredity and hormones may influence sexual orientation Many factors have been studied and shown to be false:» Sons become gay when raised by a domineering mother and aweak father» Girls become lesbians when their father is the primary role model» Children raised by gay or lesbian parents usually adopt theirparents’ sexual orientation» Gay and lesbian adults were, as children, seduced by an olderperson of their sex15.1 Groups Two types of groups: Cliques: four to six individuals who are good