The purpose of this volume is to present a selection of chapters that reflect current issues relating to children’s socialization processes that help them become successful members of their society. From birth children are unique in their rates of growth and development, including the development of their social awareness and their ability to interact socially. They interpret social events based on their developing life style and environmental experiences. The children’s socialization is influenced by several important social forces including the family and its organization, their peer group, and the significant others in their lives. In “Theories of Socialization and Social Development,” Olivia Saracho and Bernard Spodek describe the children’s socialization forces and the different developmental theories that have influenced our understanding of the socialization process. These include maturationist theory (developed by Arnold Gesell), constructivist theories (developed by such theorists as Jean Piaget, Lev S. Vygotsky, and Jerome Bruner), psychodynamic theories (developed by such theorists as Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson, Harry Stack Sullivan, and Alfred Adler), and ecological theory (developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner). Each theory provides interpretations of the meaning of the children’s social development and describes the different characteristics for each age group in the developmental sequences.

This book provides an account of research in action and debate in progress in a selection of areas of childhood social development where significant progress is underway. The chapters are written by an eminent group of British and American developmental psychologists each of whom has made primary contributions to research in the areas covered in the volume. The contributors were invited to reflect upon the current scene in social developmental research and to develop their own distinctive viewpoint and contribution to the field. The book addresses issues in social development from infancy to adolescence. The topics examined include: interactions between biological and social factors in social development; sex role development; the development of friendships; the role of peer interaction in social and cognitive development; and the influence of cultural artifacts in the social and cognitive development of children. Although each chapter is concerned with a different aspect of social development, there are a number of themes that recur throughout the volume. One concerns the nature of social development: the acquisition of social understanding and the development of social skills are not individual achievements of children reared in isolation. Rather, they are the outcome of social processes in which the developing child engages, sometimes in an unequal partnership with experienced adults; at other times in more equal partnership with peers and playmates. In both cases the development change is a constructive outcome. A second recurrent theme is a concern for developmental researchers to take fuller account than they may traditionally have done of the nature of the cultural settings in which social development occurs. Different cultures have different customs and artifacts, and these can constrain development in different ways. This issue is considered throughout the book and is the specific focus of the final chapter.

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.

Originally published in 1978, contemporary theory and research into childhood social development had demonstrated the necessity to re-appraise the notion that socialization is merely a process of shaping the behaviour of the child to fit the mores of society. It was now evident that, from the beginnings of post-partum life, the human infant is an active participant in social encounters, modifying the behaviour of others as well as being influenced by them. Hence, social development must be construed as an interactive process, to which the young organism makes his own dynamic contribution. This book, comprising a collection of original essays by prominent investigators in the field, considers issues arising from this modified perspective. It examines the biological basis of social development, the role of child-caretaker interaction, the significance of sex differences, the influence of peer relations and the perceptual-cognitive factors which contribute to childhood social development and to the developing child’s understanding of society.

How we raise young children is one of today's most highly personalized and sharply politicized issues, in part because each of us can claim some level of "expertise." The debate has intensified as discoveries about our development-in the womb and in the first months and years-have reached the popular media. How can we use our burgeoning knowledge to assure the well-being of all young children, for their own sake as well as for the sake of our nation? Drawing from new findings, this book presents important conclusions about nature-versus-nurture, the impact of being born into a working family, the effect of politics on programs for children, the costs and benefits of intervention, and other issues. The committee issues a series of challenges to decision makers regarding the quality of child care, issues of racial and ethnic diversity, the integration of children's cognitive and emotional development, and more. Authoritative yet accessible, From Neurons to Neighborhoods presents the evidence about "brain wiring" and how kids learn to speak, think, and regulate their behavior. It examines the effect of the climate-family, child care, community-within which the child grows.

Edited by two leading scholars, Social Development in Childhood and Adolescence brings together the most significant classic and contemporary writings in this area to provide a comprehensive overview of this dynamic field. Provides all that is needed for teaching social development with the selection of key topics for a 13-week semester, an introductory chapter with an overview of the field and key questions, introductory text for each of 5 sections that contain 3 articles each for a total of 36 articles, with extra materials including discussion questions and classroom exercises Covers key topics such as genetics, temperament, attachment, prosocial development, theory of mind, peer relationships, morality, identity, social withdrawal, aggression, exclusion, stereotyping, parenting, and culture. Addresses issues related to culture, ethnicity, immigration, and diversity Provides a historical, conceptual, and theoretical overview of social development in the introductory chapter Includes introductory sections by the editors for each weekly topic which define key terms and highlights important conceptual issues Integrates helpful pedagogical material throughout: feature boxes highlight current hot topics and real-world applications; end-of-chapter questions, debate topics, and in-class exercises facilitate student understanding and classroom discussion

This authoritative, engaging text examines the key role of relationships in child and adolescent development, from the earliest infant?caregiver transactions to peer interactions, friendships, and romantic partnerships. Following the sequence of a typical social development course, sections cover foundational developmental science, the self and relationships, social behaviors, contexts for social development, and risk and resilience. Leading experts thoroughly review their respective areas and highlight the most compelling current issues, methods, and research directions. End-of-chapter suggested reading lists direct students and instructors to exemplary primary sources on each topic.