Ch 13 - Peer Relationships PDF

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Ch. 13 Peer Relationships What is the definition of peers (not to be confused with “friends”)? 

PEERS  people of approximately the same age & status who are not family

How do children define a good friend? Know how this might change over time as they age 

Friendships close reciprocated positive relationship b/w people; closeness, companionship, affection o Usually develops at age 2/3 o Preferences specific playmates On what basis do they select friends? Know how this changes over time as they age o PRESCHOOL  proximity is the key factor in friendship selection; similarity in age  Preference: same-sex friends; less degree friends same race (exposure) o 6-8 YEARS  peers who are similar to themselves in cognitive maturity of their play & aggressive behavior  preference: actual activities; view friend’s rewards & costs o Early School & Adolescence  in terms mutual liking, closeness, & loyalty  Preference: friends similar in prosocial behavior, antisocial behavior, peer acceptance, & academic motivation o ADOLESCENCE  context for self-exploration & working out problems  Preference: similar interest, attitudes, behavior

What functions do friendships serve? o Context for development of social skills o Friendship promote cognitive skills & enhance performance on creative tasks o Provide source emotional support & security o Important during difficult transient periods & adolescence o Buffer against unpleasant experiences: o Victimized by peers, children showed increases in adjustment problems a year later were those who did not have reciprocated best friendships Young children’s “social networks” - what are Cliques, Crowds, Gangs? o Peers in groups: o Preschool  clear dominance hierarchy among peer group members o Middle childhood  involves more than dominance; concerned about peer status o Cliques  small group of friends who spend time together & develop close relationship (cheer group vs dance group) o Middle school cliques usually same sex; adolescence increasing social interactions o Adolescence  many ties to many cliques & increase in stability of cliques  More autonomous & tend to look individual relationship than group ones

 Girls tend to be more integrated into cliques; boys’ greater diversity  By high school  often include both sexes o Crowds  large, reputation-based groups that are based on shared stereotype; members don’t necessarily spent time together (Georgia vs Georgia Tech students) o Gangs loosely organized groups of adolescents or young adults that identify as a group; often illegal activities o Family & cultural influences

When do romantic relationships start? What predicts good healthy romantic relationships? o In US small amount start relationships at 12-years and majority by age 18 o Quality of adolescents appears to mirror quality of their other relationships (w/ parents & peers) o Young  partner that brings status o Older  based on compatibility & enhance intimacy o SHAPING: o Family composition & adult behaviors o Peers; social media o Area  teens in south tend highest rates of sex o Poverty, ethnicity o Positive Effects: o Feelings of self-worth & self-competence o Improve functioning in adolescence who are prone to depression/aggression o Negative Effects: o Early dating & sexual activity is associated with engaging risky behaviors o Girls vulnerable to depression after bad breakup Peer Status How do we measure Peer Status? o MOST COMMON  ask children to rate how much like/dislike their classmate or nominate some of those whom they like most/least; do/don’t like to play with o Sociometric status  measurement of the degree to which children are liked or disliked by their peers as a group o Characteristics associated with sociometric status  Attractiveness, athletic ability, social behavior, personality, goals  Influenced by status of child’s friends What are the Sociometric Status categories and what skills are associated with each? **don’t worry too much about ‘average’ category but definitely know the qualities of the other types o POPULAR  o Receive many positive nominations & few negative o Skilled at initiating interactions & maintain positive relationship

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o Cooperative, friendly, sociable, & sensitive o Not prone to intense negative emotions & regulate themselves well o Tend to be less aggressive REJECTED  o Receive many negative nominations & few positives o Liked by few peers & disliked by many peers o Aggressive-rejected vs withdrawn-rejected NEGLECTED  o Low in social impact; not liked or disliked; simply go unnoticed o Relatively few behaviors that differ greatly from those many children o Neglected primarily b/c NOT NOTICED AVERAGE o Average number both positive & negative nominations CONTROVERSIAL  o Many positive & many negative nominations; noticed by peers & are liked by quite a few people & disliked by few others o Characteristics both popular & rejected children o “arrogant or snobbish”

How are Aggressive-Rejected Vs Withdrawn-Rejected children different from one another? o Aggressive-Rejected  o Prone to hostile & threatening & disruptive behavior, physical aggression, o When angry, many engage in relational aggression o Aggressive behavior often underlies rejection by peers o Some develop network of aggressive friends o Withdrawn-Rejected  o Socially withdrawn, wary, often timid o Withdrawn behavior combined with negative actions/emotions is correlated to rejection; pattern may change with age What kind of deficits do rejected children possess and how can we help them?? o Rejected children, esp. those with aggression, more likely than peers to have difficulties in academic domain o Poorly in school worsens over time How likely will sociometric status stick? 

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Which categories change over time, which do not as much? o Remain  popular & rejected o Change  neglected & controversial o Rejected children stability in status generally higher than other categories & may increase with age with socially withdrawn children it can have negative outcomes in adults

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o men  less stable careers & marriages than their peers o women  less likely than other women to have careers outside the home Some rejected children have externalizing problems, others have internalizing problems o Rejected children who are victimized  risk loneliness & internalizing behavior

What role(s) do parents play in children’s peer relationships? Origins of individual differences in aggression What are biological factors? Environmental factors? 

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Biological  contribute to individual difference in aggression o Neither necessary nor sufficient cause aggressive behavior most children o Low self-regulation elicits harsher discipline; out of control force parents to givein Environmental  quality of parenting o Abusive parenting provides a model of aggression o Inconsistent parenting, without follow-through, reinforces child aggression o LOW SES  greater stressors in families & increase risk child aggressive behaviors Aggression: rates in male’s vs females? Peak ages? o More aggression in males than females o Aggression rate as young kid is similar to when they are older (self-rating)

Describe Oppositional Defiant Disorder Vs Conduct Disorder  

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)  angry, defiant behavior that is age inappropriate & persistent Conduct Disorder (CD)  more antisocial & aggressive behavior that inflict pain on others & are frequently accompanied by persistent school absence; running away from home b4 13 How do we treat ODD/CD? 

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ODD: o o CD o o

3% youth in US have average onset 6 years 6-16 % males & 2-9 % females average onset 11 years

What are the 3 pathways to CD?  

Early authority conflict  stubborn behavior, defiance & authority avoidance Covert  minor covert behaviors, property damage, mod to serious form delinquency

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Overt  aggression, fighting, & violence (comorbidity w/ hyperactivity & substances)

Neural Signature with Antisocial Behavior   

Amygdala  regulates arousal, emotion, threat, fear o Youth with increase callous/unemotional trait lowered reactivity of amygdala Pre-frontal Cortex  integrates emotion, memory, high order sensory, decision making o Antisocial behavior youth to differ in response to learning & reward paradigms and in brain areas associated with that functioning Research with adult psychopaths  some deficits in same regions...