Developmental Trends: Sense of Self at Different Age Levels
Source: Pearson Allyn Bacon Prentice Hall
Topics: Identity Across Childhood and Adolescence, Self-Esteem, more...
Infancy (Birth–2)
What You Might Observe:
- Increasing awareness that one is separate from one’s caregivers (in the first year)
- Increasing recognition of self in mirror (in the second year)
- Appearance of first-person pronouns, such as I, me, mine (late in the second year)
Diversity:
- The quality of child-caregiver relationships influences infants’ beliefs that they are worthy of love.
- Infants’ temperaments (e.g., whether they are irritable or easily comforted) affect some caregivers’ ability and desire to give affection and care.
Implications:
- Communicate affection by cuddling and talking to infants and by attending to their physical needs in a timely and consistent manner.
- Talk with infants and toddlers about their bodily features and possessions (“Where’s your nose?” “Here’s your teddy bear!”).
Early Childhood (2–6)
What You Might Observe:
- Frequent use of I, me, and mine, especially at ages 2 and 3
- Emergence of an autobiographical self (beginning at age 3 or 4)
- Concrete self-descriptions (e.g., “I’m a boy,” “I’m pretty”)
- Overconfidence about what tasks can be accomplished
Diversity:
- Children whom others treat affectionately tend to develop a positive sense of self. Those who are rejected, ridiculed, or ignored have a harder time seeing themselves in positive terms.
- Some children gain an emerging awareness that they belong to a particular racial or ethnic group (by age 5).
Implications:
- Acknowledge children’s possessions, but encourage sharing.
- Engage children in joint retellings of recent events.
- Don’t disparage children’s lofty ambitions (“I’m going to be President!”), but focus their efforts on accomplishable short-term goals.
Middle Childhood (6–10)
What You Might Observe:
- Increasing discrimination among various aspects of oneself (e.g., among academic performance, athletic ability, and likability)
- Increasing tendency to base sense of self on how one’s own performance compares with that of peers
- Increasing internalization of others’ standards for performance (continues into adolescence)
- Generally good self-esteem in most children
Diversity:
- Different children place greater or lesser importance on various domains (e.g., on academic performance vs. athletic prowess) in deriving their overall sense of self-worth.
- In middle childhood, girls begin to evaluate their physical appearance less favorably than boys do.
Implications:
- Praise children for their talents and accomplishments in numerous areas (e.g., in physical activities, social relationships, and specific academic subjects).
- Help children find arenas in which they can be especially successful.
- Teach hygiene and personal grooming habits that enhance children’s physical attractiveness.
Early Adolescence (10–14)
What You Might Observe:
- Increasing tendency to define oneself in terms of abstract rather than concrete characteristics
- Possible drop in self-esteem after the transition to middle school or junior high
- Heightened sensitivity to what others think of oneself (imaginary audience), leading to a preoccupation with physical appearance
- Belief in oneself as overly unique (personal fable), leading to a sense of invulnerability and increased risk taking
Diversity:
- Drops in self-esteem, when sizable and not followed by a rebound, can signal a serious problem.
- On average, youngsters increasingly base their self-perceived strengths on gender stereotypes (e.g., boys see themselves as good in math, girls see themselves as good in reading) even when actual achievement levels are similar.
- Members of ethnic minority groups vary in the extent to which their ethnic status plays a role in their identity.
Implications:
- When students are making the transition to middle school or junior high, be especially supportive and optimistic about their potential for success.
- Be patient when adolescents show exceptional self-consciousness; give them strategies for presenting themselves well to others.
- Show no tolerance for risk-taking behaviors that put youngsters’ health and well-being in danger.
Late Adolescence (14–18)
What You Might Observe:
- Decrease in the self-consciousness evident in early adolescence
- Continuing risk-taking behavior, especially in males
- Reflection about identity issues: Who am I? What do I believe? What course should my life take?
- Reconciliation of many apparent contradictions in oneself
Diversity:
- Adolescents whose sense of self-worth continues to depend heavily on others’ behaviors and opinions (those who have contingent self-worth) are more susceptible to mood swings and peer pressure.
- Some adolescents willingly accept the professional goals and ideologies that their parents offer. Others engage in more soul-searching and exploration as they strive to develop their identity.
Implications:
- Provide opportunities for adolescents to explore diverse belief systems and try on a variety of occupational “hats.”
- When discussing adverse consequences of risky behaviors, present the facts but don’t make teens so anxious or upset that they can’t effectively remember the information (i.e., avoid scare tactics).
- Be on the lookout for teens whose self-worth seems especially dependent on peers’ opinions; help them discover areas of talent that can contribute to a more stable sense of self-worth.
Excerpt from Child Development and Education, by T. M McDevitt & J. E. Ormrod, 2007 edition, p. 455.
© 2007, Merrill, an imprint of Pearson Education Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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