Child Psychology Exam 4 Gender Families Spanking Peers Gender Gender Socially Influenced psychological dimension of being male or female It is a social construct Example Boy and Girl colors Today pink girls blue boys But historically children wore white easiest to get stains out of and boys wore pink In the 1970 s colors were kind of neutral so that clothes could be reused Sex Biologically influenced narrow dimension Determined by sex chromosomes male XY female XX Gender Role set of expectations that prescribes how females and males should think act feel Example Boys should be strong brave protective Boys shouldn t cry show weakness Girls should be nurturing kind sympathetic Girls shouldn t be tough undomesticated Gender Identity Sense of being male female Personal feelings of how masculine feminine you are Gender Typing Association of objects activities roles traits with biological sex in ways that conform to cultural stereotypes of gender Gender Stereotypes Widely held beliefs about characteristics that are deemed appropriate for males females Personality Stereotypes o Instrumental traits competence independence rationality assertiveness o Expressive traits warmth caring sensitivity Physical Stereotypes o Typical man tall muscular in work clothes tan dark hair o Typical woman Thin long hair petite Occupation Stereotypes o Men Doctor Engineer Policeman Plumber Trucker o Women Nurse Teacher Flight Attendant Process of Gender Stereotyping Early Childhood o Age 2 children start to make subtle associations like men are rough and women are soft and round o 19 months 3 years age that children label themselves as boys or girls o Early characteristics and activities determine gender o Study showed that preschoolers linked toys articles of clothing tools household items games occupations colors with one sex or another o Study in 2003 showed that children didn t believe that girls could be rough or be a doctor o Rigid Rules can t have long hair or wear a skirt and be a boy Middle Childhood Adolescence o Shift from external to internal Stereotypes move to less obvious areas like personality and achievement o Rules become more flexible however still respond harshly to boys being girly o Personality traits assign certain adjectives to male or female genders o Achievement areas certain subjects are for boys girls Sex Differences Males and Females are more alike than different Don t vary in general intelligence but do vary in specific abilities Mental Abilities o Verbal Abilities girls are ahead of boys o Mathematical Abilities girls ahead in early years boys ahead after puberty o Spatial Abilities differences disappear when coupled with gender specific role Personality Traits o Emotional sensitivity self report more girls than boys o Aggression boys more than girls Definition excluded relational aggression Families Functions of the Family Reproduction replace dying members o Today still primary function of family Economic services producing and distributing goods and services o Today these needs are outsourced o Provided by getting a job shopping at a supermarket etc Social Order reducing conflict and maintaining order o Today this is outsourced o Police Courts Schools Government take care of these needs today Socialization training the young to become a competent participating member of society o Today still primarily taken care of by family Emotional Support Giving purpose and commitment support o Today still primarily the job of the family Spanking Article read Yes Spanking is detrimental to children Focus on what is used as evidence to prove this viewpoint specifically the variables and their correlation to spanking what the author concluded for each of these variables Social Systems Perspective family is a complex set of interacting relationships influenced by larger social context Family Processes Interactions in the Family System Direct influences on the child parent to child o Example child 5 years old tries to put an item in the cart mother says no we need that money elsewhere redirects child toward something else Authoritative o Example child 3 years old plays with bananas mother yells at child and slaps her hand Child then turns around and picks up a candy bar mother again gets angry and slaps child and reprimands her Authoritarian Indirect Influences on the child o Relationship between parents Children with hostile parents have higher rates of aggressive acts lower self esteem parents tend to be more punishing cold rejecting with their children o Relationships with siblings o Grandparents How parents treat your siblings impacts how they parents you as well Relationship of parents with their parent impacts how their child is raised Social Contexts influence on the child o Formal organizations school work recreation centers daycare centers religious institutions o Informal social networks relatives friends neighbors Sociocultural and Historical Changes o Events in history that have impacted family structure o Example the draft the television cars internet Family Lifestyles and Transitions Family size Move from larger families to smaller families due to o Cost of supporting children o Birth control o Women have careers o Marital instability o Delaying having children Lower IQ mothers tend to have larger families o Lack of education o Lack of sex ed birth control Siblings o 80 of US children have at least one sibling o Sibling jealousy and rivalry o Same sex siblings have more jealousy o Siblings close in age have more jealousy Only child families o Stereotype spoiled o Only children have higher S E and higher achievement motivation o Problem with conflict resolution Never married single parents families o 10 of American Children 90 mothers 10 fathers African American women are the largest group Better to have no partner than a bad partner Children in Divorced Families o Not a single event but a transition o Effects on children Have poorer adjustment problems 75 do not have significant problems Factors related to adjustment fewer resources bad parenting or the conflict continues or increases reduction of conflict harmonious relationship between parents and authoritative parenting caring adult outside of the home uncle neighbor coach teacher MOST important for adolescent boys Stepfamilies o Stepfather most common Most single mothers need support financially and emotionally so they remarry Usually single mothers have full custody so stepfather alleviates the stress Less likely to play
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