SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
KEY TERMS AND DEFINITIONS NOTES LEARNING EXAMPLES
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
What is Social Development?
The ability to interact and relate with others at both individual and
societal levels.
● It influences self-esteem, intimacy, and
relationship-building in adulthood.
Socially competent individuals can adapt behavior appropriately in
social situations.
Social Competence
Refers to adapting behavior to fit interpersonal and social
contexts. Includes:
● Acting appropriately
● Understanding consequences
● Making responsible decisions
● Empathy and perspective-taking
It is strongly linked to emotional and cognitive development.
Social Skills
Everyday skills used to interact and communicate:
● Verbal (speech)
● Non-verbal (gestures, facial expressions, body language)
Crucial for:
● Forming relationships
● Learning (e.g., communication, listening, understanding)
Context-specific: vary by culture, setting, country.
Socialization
The process of learning customs, values, behaviors from specific
groups. Occurs through:
● Family
● School/classroom
● Workplaces
Why It Matters
It impacts:
● Academic achievement
● Mental health
● Behaviour
Schools are now encouraged to prioritize Social and Emotional
Learning (SEL) as per Australian curriculum ("personal and social
capability").
BRONFENBRENNER'S BIOECOLOGICAL MODEL Examples for Each System
Purpose: Explains how environment and context shape Microsystem (Immediate surroundings
development. and relationships)
Example: A student becomes more
4 Key Elements: confident in class because their teacher
● Person uses positive reinforcement and assigns
○ Individual characteristics (e.g., temperament, them a leadership role during group work.
abilities) This close teacher-student relationship
● Process directly improves the child’s classroom
○ Interactions, activities, relationships behaviour and academic engagement.
● Context
○ Layers of environment (see below) Mesosystem (Interactions between
● Time microsystems)
○ Stability/instability and how things change over time Example: A teacher and a speech
therapist coordinate strategies between
school and home for a student with
language delays. The child shows faster
progress because the same speech
techniques are reinforced by the parents at
home and the teacher at school.
Exosystem (Indirect environments)
Example: A student begins displaying
signs of anxiety at school after their parent
loses a job. Although the child isn’t directly
involved in the job loss, the increased
stress at home affects their emotional
regulation and focus in class.
Macrosystem (Cultural norms, values,
societal expectations)
Example: In a school located in a
community that values independence and
self-expression, students are encouraged
to share opinions openly. As a result, class
discussions are lively, and children feel
more comfortable voicing diverse
viewpoints.
Chronosystem (Influence of time and life
transitions)
Example: A child who transferred schools
mid-year after their parents’ divorce initially
struggles with new routines and peer
relationships. Over time, with support, the
student adjusts and begins to thrive
socially and academically.
ERIKSON’S PSYCHOSOCIAL THEORY
Developed by Erik Erikson (influenced by Anna Freud).
Lifespan theory: Social development occurs in 8 interdependent
stages.
Each stage involves a developmental crisis: a conflict between a
positive outcome and a negative outcome. How the conflict is
resolved shapes:
● Self-image
● View of society
● Future development
KEY STAGES IN CONTEXT
Primary School Age (6–12 years)
● Industry vs. Inferiority
○ Develops competence through school, peers,
learning new skills.
○ Risk: feeling inadequate or unable to meet
expectations.
Adolescence (12–18 years)
● Identity vs. Role Confusion
○ First time individuals consciously ask, “Who am I?”
○ Includes forming beliefs, values, goals (e.g., career,
religion, relationships).
○ Successful resolution = strong, cohesive sense of
identity.
JAMES MARCIA’S IDENTITY THEORY (Expansion of Erikson)
Focuses on how identity forms during adolescence. Based on 2
key processes:
● Exploration – Trying out beliefs, values, roles.
● Commitment – Choosing and sticking with a
belief/value/role.
● Teachers can be secondary ATTACHMENT THEORY
attachment figures.
What is Attachment?
● Secure teacher-student Attachment = Emotional bond between child and caregiver.
relationships boost engagement, ● Primary Attachment: Parent or primary caregiver.
resilience, and well-being. ● Secondary Attachment: Other significant adults (e.g.,
teachers).
● For children with insecure Children can form multiple meaningful attachments, not just to
attachments, having at least one parents.
stable adult makes a significant
positive impact. Bowlby’s Evolutionary (Monotropic) Theory
● Children are biologically pre-programmed to form
attachments – it aids survival.
● Attachments are qualitatively different, but one attachment
is typically the strongest.
● Secure attachments develop through:
○ Warmth
○ Consistency
○ Predictable care
Importance of Early Attachment
Early attachment quality influences:
● Emotional development
● Learning
● Social behavior
● Mental health
Strong early attachments support exploration and provide a secure
base.
● Secure attachment = foundation PARENTING STYLES – DIANA BAUMRIND + ADDITIONAL
for emotional and social health.
● Authoritative parenting/teaching Original Dimensions (Baumrind)
= most positive and balanced ● Disciplinary Strategies
approach. ● Warmth & Nurturing
● Communication Style
● Culture impacts parenting and ● Expectations of Maturity & Control
attachment, but core needs for
security and responsiveness are
universal.
Parenting Styles in Education
Teachers also reflect these styles:
● Authoritative: Best outcomes – structure + empathy.
● Authoritarian: Obedience but low motivation and
engagement.
● Permissive: Fun but chaotic classroom.
● Uninvolved: Disconnected students, low achievement.
PEER RELATIONSHIPS & SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Why Do We Form Relationships?
Evolutionary Psychology explanation:
● Relationships help humans adapt and survive (Darwinian
perspective).
● They offer protection, cooperation, and emotional support.
Ironic point: While they help us survive, relationships can also
cause stress, difficulty, and conflict.
Early Relationships Influence Later Ones
● Relationships within a child’s household (parents, siblings,
family structure) shape their ability to form peer
relationships.
● Social skills for peer relationships are learned early, often
modeled in family settings.
Importance of Peer Relationships in Childhood
Friendships help children:
● Practice social skills (e.g., cooperation, sharing).
● Meet emotional needs (love, belonging – Maslow's
hierarchy).
● Develop identity, especially in adolescence.
Factors That Influence Friendship Formation
● Gender
● Socioeconomic status (SES)
● Shared interests
● Level of intimacy, trust, and emotional support
Exchange Theory of Relationships
● Relationships are more successful when there is balance
in giving and receiving.
● If one person constantly contributes more, the relationship
may suffer.
● Useful in understanding relationship maintenance and
satisfaction.
Impact of Friendships on Academic and Social Development
● Positive friendships = better academic achievement and
emotional support.
○ Having socially competent and supportive peers
boosts resilience and development.
● Negative friendships = increased risk of:
○ Delinquency
○ Aggressive behaviour
○ Substance abuse
Peer Culture
Refers to unwritten social rules among peer groups. It influences:
● Dress codes
● Activities
● Music preferences
● Accepted vs. rejected peers
Peer pressure and conformity are strong forces in shaping identity
and behaviour.
Ingroup vs. Outgroup Theory (Social Identity Theory)
● Ingroup
○ A group a person identifies with (e.g., gender,
religion, school team)
● Outgroup
○ A group a person does not identify with
Humans naturally form groups to increase survival (evolutionary
advantage).
Group belonging promotes:
● Shared identity
● Support
● Protection
BULLYING
Definition: No universal definition, but generally:
● Repeated aggressive behavior
● Power imbalance
Can be:
● Physical
● Verbal
● Relational (social exclusion, rumors)
● Direct or indirect
Bullying Trends
● More attention in the last two decades.
● Cyberbullying complicates accountability and response.
● School programs have had mixed effectiveness.
○ In some cases, interventions increase bullying.
○ May be due to poor implementation or failure to
address underlying causes.