Adolescent development
Aditya Roy
DS502WeekSixTheSocialWorld.pptxLast Class Session
Complete Course Evaluations
Week Six: The Social World
I am who I belong to
Understanding Family Life: Symbolic Interactionism
Families are what they do with each other. More emphasis on family activities than family emotions. Importance of shared interests. Behavior is communication and bonding.
The meaning of the interactions is more important than what objectively happened. Getting at the “real truth” of what happened might be pointless.
To some degree, what we, as professionals, represent to teens, is based on family life and we have no control over it.
Understanding Family Life: Structural Functionalism
Families help prepare teens to interact with the outside world. The primary tasks concern sexuality, socialization, and work
How much a parent assesses the world outside of the family matters. Families who see the greater world as threatening will be more protective of their children. Schools may be threatening.
Understanding Family Life: Family Systems Theory
Gestault Psychology: We can understand individuals only in the context of the whole
Each family has its own rules, roles, and communication patterns
Is it OK to ask for help?
Is it OK to disagree with adults?
Is it OK to show anger, vulnerability, cry, etc.?
Is it OK to talk about sexuality?
Understanding Family Life: Family Systems Theory
How people interact is more important than what people interact about
Homeostasis: Resistance to change
Family interaction patterns are often exported to school settings
The importance of pre-logical learning
Understanding Family Life: Families with Problems
Conflict is not the same as dysfunction
Problems are seen as emerging because the system is not working, not because of problematic kids who are often scapegoats
Teens with problems often change family life
Family secrets
Discussion
Do you buy the argument that family systems create problems and no one is to blame?
How important is sharing emotions to a strong family life?
Can you have a strong family life if family members do not do much as a family?
How much can teachers ask about home life?
How would you respond if a student shares a family secret such as substance abuse, a parental affair, etc.?
At what age can a child be at home alone after school?
Friendships
Identity development is largely a social feedback process
Symbolic interactionism: It is not who we actually are that matters, rather who we appear to be to others (symbolic meaning)
The Looking Glass Self
Charles Cooley 1902
Coined the term “looking glass self” to describe how we think we appear to others. How we think and act depends on how we think others perceive us and perceive our actions.
We are shaped by our perceived judgements of others
Critique of the Looking Glass Theory
Not all others have the same impact on us. We tend to value the judgements of our in-group more than our out-group. Who we hang out with matters
Some kids are more influenced by peers than others
Impression Management
Erving Goffman (1959) The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life
We are not influenced by others. We actively shape our influence on others. In other words, self-presentation is the response to the looking glass self.
We present ourselves in a way that is consistent with our self-image (assimilation)
We present ourselves differently in a way to match the perceived expectations of others (accommodation). The audience may be real or imagined.
Examples of Impression Management
Clothing, hairstyles
Gossip
Cleaning up (room, language)
On-line profile
Discussion
Should we worry about how others think of us?
Is the classroom a stage for many teens?
How accurate are social media profiles?
