Cognitive Development in Middle Childhood

Thinking in Middle childhood

• Thought becomes more logical– Can now pass Piagetian conservation tasks

• Understanding of spatial concepts improves– Can now give clear, well organanized

directions; can draw and read maps

Attention in Middle Childhood

Attention becomes more:

• Selective• Adaptable• Planful

Steps in Planning• Postponing action to weigh alternatives• Organizing task materials

Remembering steps of planMonitoring how well plan works

Revising if necessary

Development of Memory Strategies

• Rehearsal – early grade school• Organization – soon after rehearsal

–Knowledge base helps organization• Elaboration – end of middle childhood

–Meaningful chunks of information

• Schooling promotes using these memory strategies

Theory of Mind in Middle Childhood

• See mind as active, constructive• Understand more about sources of

knowledge– Mental inferences– False beliefs

• Consider interactions of variables

• Schooling promotes developing theory of mind

Explaining Differences in IQ• Genetics

– Accounts for about half of differences

• Environment– SES– Culture

• Communication styles• Cultural bias in test content

Stereotype Threat

• The fear of being judged on the basis of a negative stereotype that can trigger anxiety that interferes with performance– Ex: Girls don’t do well on Math exams…

Language Development in Middle Childhood

• Vocabulary– Increases fourfold during school years– 20 new words a day

• Grammar– Passive voice– Infinitive phrases

• Pragmatics– Adjust to people and situations– Phrase requests to get what they want

Learning Two Languages• Bilingual Development

– Learn both languages at the same time

– Learn first language, then second

– Sensitive period - childhood• Bilingual Education

– Language immersion– Bilingual education

Psychosocial Development in Middle Childhood

Self-Concept in Middle Childhood• More refined me-self

– Social comparisons– Emphasize competencies

• Both positive and negative

• Cognitive development

affects structure of self-concept– Perspective taking

• Social & cultural development affect content of self-concept– Real self vs. ideal self

Influences on Self-Esteem• Culture• Child-rearing

practices• Messages from

adults• Attributions

–Mastery-oriented–Learned helplessness

Achievement-Related AttributionsMastery-Oriented

• Attribute success to ability

• Incremental view of ability– Can improve by

trying• Focus on learning

goals

Learned Helplessness

• Attribute failure to ability

• Fixed view of ability– Cannot be changed

• Focus on performance goals

Emotional Development in Middle Childhood• Self-Conscious Emotions

– Pride– Guilt

• Emotional Understanding– Explain using internal states– Understand mixed emotions

• Emotional Self-Regulation– Motivated by self-esteem and

peer approval– Emotional self-efficacy

Peer Groups• Formed from proximity, similarity• Adopt similar dress and behavior• Peer Culture

–Relational

aggression–Exclusion

Friendship in Middle Childhood

• Personal qualities, trust become important

• More selective in choosing friends

• Friendships can last several years

• Influence each other’s behavior

Family Relationships

• Parents–Coregulation

• Siblings–Rivalry–Companionship and

assistance

Types of Families• Traditional• Employed parents• One-child• Gay & lesbian parents• Single parents• Divorced parents• Blended• Extended

International Divorce Rates

Consequences of Parental Divorce

Immediate• Instability, conflict,

drop in income• Parental stress,

disorganization• Consequences

affected by:– Age– Temperament– Sex

Long-Term• Improved adjustment

after 2 years• Boys, children with

difficult temperaments more likely to have problems

• Father’s involvement affects adjustment

Helping Families Through Divorce

• Divorce mediation• Joint custody• Child support

Blended FamiliesMother-Stepfather• Most frequent• Boys usually adjust

quickly• Girls adapt less

favorably• Older children and

adolescents of both sexes display more problems

Father-Stepmother• Often leads to reduced

father-child contact• Children in fathers’

custody often react negatively

• Girls & stepmothers slow to get along at first, more positive interaction later