Module 2 Part 7: Roles of Family, Peers, Play, and Media in Childhood Development
Family. Secure attachment and authoritative parenting contribute to positive emotional and social development.
Peers. Peer interactions help children develop social skills, self-esteem, and a sense of belonging. Friendships become increasingly important through middle and late childhood.
Play.Play is essential for cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development. Different types of play, including constructive, social, and pretend play, contribute to various developmental domains.
Media
Influence on Behavior and Learning. Media can impact children's behavior, attitudes, and learning. Both positive and negative effects depend on content and context of media use.
Types of Play
Constructive Play: Play in which children manipulate objects to create or build something.
Practice Play: Repetition of behavior when new skills are being learned or when physical or mental mastery and coordination of skills are required for games or sports.
Pretense/Symbolic Play: Play in which the child transforms the physical environment into a symbol.
Sensorimotor Play: Behavior engaged in by infants to derive pleasure from exercising their sensorimotor schemes.
Social Play: Play that involves interaction with peers.
Parenting Styles and Moral Development
Authoritarian Parenting: Restrictive, punitive style. Associated with obedient but less happy children.
Authoritative Parenting: Encourages independence with limits. Associated with happy, capable, and successful children.
Indulgent Parenting: Highly involved but few demands.
Neglectful Parenting: Uninvolved in the child's life.
Heteronomous Morality: Children view rules as fixed and unchangeable (Piaget, ages 4-7).
Moral Development: Development of proper attitudes and behaviors toward other people based on social and cultural norms.