Childhood Development and Gender Identity

Identity Formation

• Gender identity: a child learns to label themselves as a boy or girl by 2 years old, with awareness starting as early as 9 months.
• Gender stability: a child learns that their gender remains the same throughout life, developing by age 4.
• Gender constancy: a child understands that their gender remains the same even in ambiguous situations, developing by age 4 or 5.

Sexual Identity

• Influenced by societal ideas of gender, including cultural and religious beliefs.
• Aspects include:
  • Sexual attraction/orientation.
  • Conformity to gender/sexual expectations.

Culture

• A social group that influences an individual's beliefs, behaviors, and ideas.
• Aspects include:
  • Race (e.g., Black, White, Asian).
  • Ethnicity (e.g., spirituality, nationality).

Social Competence

• Cultural learning from multiple contexts (school, home, community).
• Experience-dependent growth, influencing brain development.

Brain Development

• The brain develops from lower to top, opposite to physical development.
• The triune brain has specialized functions.
• Environmental influence affects brain structures.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

• A foundation of needs must be met for optimal development.
• The pyramid structure represents the hierarchy of needs.

Maturational Theory

• Genetic preset biological timelines.
• Devised by Gesell's Developmental Schedule.
• Identifies delays in typical development.

Areas of Physical Development

• Challenges to growth and development include:
  • LBW (Low Birth Weight) or other delays.
  • Genetic constraints or disorders.
  • Nutrition (poor nutrition or overindulgence).
  • Sleep disorders.
  • Child/environment interactions.

Peer/Society Relationships

• Societal norms and expectations guide relationship formation.
• Family foundation for social relationships.
• Peer status, including groups, cliques, outcasts, and adult perceptions.

Bio-Ecological Theory

• Development occurs within various systems.
• Systems have indirect and direct influences on developmental outcomes.

Social-Cultural Theory

• Development is impacted by social, historical, and cultural context.
• Intersubjective nature of learning and culturally determined thoughts influence developmental outcomes.
• Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) drives growth and learning.

Research Design

• Elements include:
  • Research question: a measurable inquiry.
  • Literature review: examining past theories and research.
  • Hypothesis: a supposition or possible explanation.
  • Variables: clearly defined factors related to the inquiry.
  • Population: the group(s) being investigated.

This quiz covers the formation of identity in children, including friendship formation and gender identity development from preschool to adulthood.