Child Socialisation

For this assignment you can choose from the following theorists. Bear in mind that these theories were developed by academics and are intended for university students and professionals. Try to choose the theorists with asterisks because their theories are easier to understand at HSC level!

 Bonfenbrenner  *Erikson  Green  Balson  *Piaget  *Vygotsky  *Freud  Kohlberg

There are lots of easy-to-read sources in free essay sites but these frequently have wrong information, and are answering a different question. Please don’t use them for your assignments because they will get you the same lousy marks the original student received! Preliminary Reading

To find out why you need to know this stuff, read the anecdote at the beginning of this article: http://www.nyu.edu/classes/persell/aIntroNSF/Documents/BecomingAMemberOfSoc iety37Reading.html

This document has very simple very introductory comments about the theorists: http:// www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/.../tlsupp_005.pdf BROKEN LINK!

This set of lecture notes gives some elementary definitions and also raises some real problems with research into child socialisation (ie things you could question in your assignment) t’s a good starting point because it locates your theorists among all the different concepts of socialisation that are out there. http://www.instruction.greenriver.edu/kwarner/soc110/chapter_5_outline.htm

This powerpoint was part of a university lecture. It extends the overview given in your textbook and has a useful (but very basic) summary of some major theorists (Bonfenbrenner, Freud, Piaget). Ignore the opening gambit and keep clicking through the annoying animation http://ppt11-09.co.cc/files/SOCIALIZATION-Final_Lec_1.ppt

This is part of a university course on the role of the family. Scroll down to the “Ecological Theory” subheading for a summary of Bonfonbrennner and why he’s important. https://azeip.nau.edu/azeip_user/tsg/CF/IA.aspx

For more detailed overviews of each theorist, try this relatively readable textbook overview. If a key word is mentioned here, you probably need to understand it! c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010 http://wps.pearsoned.ca/ca_ph_macionis_sociology_6/73/18922/4844242.cw/index.ht ml

c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010 Uri Bonfenbrenner

Bonfenbrenner’s theories are aimed to point out the proper role of the government in providing the appropriate resources for families to participate in effective child socialisation.

These materials from Bay Mills Community College outline all the main aspects of Bonfenbrenner’s ecological theory of child socialisation. Doing the activity on Handout 1 will help you with your research. If you go to Index you’ll see a whole course aimed at child care workers (I think) which puts this section of the CAFS course into a real life perspective. http://www.bmcc.org/Headstart/Trngds/Enhancing/module1.htm

This article is aimed at CAFS teachers, but the first two pages have clear simple introductions to the theories of Bonfenbrenner, Piaget, Erikson and Balson & Green. http://10ss.qtp.nsw.edu.au/newhsc/pdf/csnews6/cspdhpe6.pdf

This is one of the more accessible essays. The sentences and paragraphs are shorter which helps when reading academic language, but you need to read carefully. Highlighting the key 5-6 words in each para will help. http://www.powereality.net/ecological-systems.htm

c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010 Erik Erikson

Erikson sees development as a series of 8 stages from birth to death – ie. we never stop learning! It’s not enough to describe his stages. You should also think very clearly around the categories he uses. Try to take a critical viewpoint: when will/won’t these categories work? Can you see them in yourself? Your friends? Your younger siblings or cousins?

“Everybody Rides the Carousel was an adaptation of Erik Erikson‘ 1956 book, Eight Stages of Development. Erikson was a psychologist who theorized that man goes through eight stages of development from birth to death, and he proceeds to break them down. The Hubleys took this book and broke these eight stages into horses on a carousel.” Micheal Sporn Animation, July ’08. If you’re a visual learner, one way to think about this assignment is to design the carousel horses for each stage in Erikson’s theory. As long as you explain why you designed each horse that way, you could use the drawings as part of the answer to Q.1.

This site is aimed at parents and is the most readable source around. You will still have to think very clearly around the categories he uses. Try to take a critical viewpoint: when will/won’t these categories work? Can you see them in youself? Your friends? Your younger siblings or cousins? http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/erickson.shtml

The Family Development Institute has prepared this outline for parents. http://www.google.com.au/search? hl=en&safe=active&q=erikson+stages+of+socialisation&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=& aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

This site looks at the implications of Erikson’s theories for adolescents. It’s much more readable than the others, but it only covers one aspect of the theory. http://socyberty.com/psychology/erikson%e2%80%99s-stages-and-psychological- issues-of-adolescense/

c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010 Christopher Green & Maurice Balson

Both of these theorists have developed theories to help parents managed their children’s behaviour - think “Supernanny”! They apply most to pre-school aged children, esp. toddlers (Green). Even though almost any book opr article on managing young children will refere to these theorists, it’s very hard to find useful information about these theorists. If you’re really interested, you could try to find Green’s book, Toddler Training (Penrith Public Library has a copy).

This link opens a document with an essay about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder which puts his theories (and some others) into a real life situation. Scroll down to Appendix 8/p.50. This may be of use if you’re already interested in ADHD. ADHD Shared Care Manual - THE GUIDE FOR A BUSY GP

c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010 Jean Piaget

Piaget was one of the first theorists to separate child development into different stages and his theories are still very important because he considers different types of development, showing the way the different parts of the brain develop.

However, because his theory is rooted in an early 20th century world- view, he doesn’t consider the importance of family and community. If you choose this theorist you should think about the limitations of his theory as well as the contributions he made to later theories. (This will give you a much higher mark because it shows that you can explain the strengths and weaknesses of the theory, but you should look briefly at some of the other theories as well so that you know what you’re talking about when you critique him.)

This site, aimed at parents, covers all the main points of Piaget’s theories. http://www.kidsdevelopment.co.uk/PiagetsCognitiveDevelopmentTheory.html

This site outlines all the main points of Piaget’s theories, but the language is quite abstract and scientific. Use a dictionary and learn the keywords because you’ll need them anyway when you write your explanation. http://socialtheory1.tripod.com/

Cliff’s notes gives you a fairly simple summary and then a set of detailed pages (which have much more info than you need). Be selective about which sections you paste for Q.1. http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Piagets-Model-of-Cognitive- Development.topicArticleId-26957,articleId-26859.html

Sparknotes has a simple summary of Piaget (scroll down) with enough details to get you through this assignment if you think critically about them. http://www.sparknotes.com/sociology/socialization/section1.rhtml

This article describes ways that teachers can use Piaget’s theories in a classroom setting. I t presents a general overview and the teaching tips may be useful for Question 2. http://educ-reality.com/jean-piaget-and-lev-vygotsky/

This site is useful because it shows how Vygotsky’s theory fills in the gaps left by Piaget’s theory. http://www.simplypsychology.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/vygotsky.html

This article opens by explaining the aspects of Piaget’s theory which were developed further by Kohlberg. It could be useful as a critique of Piaget’s theory. http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/2245/Moral-Development.html

c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010 Vygotsky

Vygotsky was interested in helping people learn better. His theories contrast different ways of teaching and learning and explain why people learn better in a social situation (ie group work) than just from a textbook. If you choose this theorist, think about the way you learn, the teachers you like and the types of tasks which make you learn best and see whether his model works for you.

This is a simple introduction in more-or-less every-day language. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/29997/vygotskys_theory_of_cognitive_dev elopment.html

UNESCO promotes Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theories of learning in this webpage. http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php- URL_ID=26925&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

This site is a useful introduction if you don’t mind reading education-ese. Look up the keywords (in wikipaedia etc., not a dictionary) and use them in your assignment. http://www.learning-theories.com/vygotskys-social-learning-theory.html

This is one of the best sites for this theory. It is particularly useful because it shows how Vygotsky’s theory fills in the gaps left by Piaget’s theory. http://www.simplypsychology.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/vygotsky.html

c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010 This article describes ways that teachers can use Vygotsky’s theories in a classroom setting. I t presents a general overview and the teaching tips may be useful for Question 2. http://educ-reality.com/jean-piaget-and-lev-vygotsky/ Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud tried to discover why people act in different ways to social rules. His explanation seems over-simplified (and extremely sexist) today but it was ground-breaking at the time. If you choose this theory, you might like to research some off the criticisms as well.

Scroll down the sparknotes site to find a simple summary of Freud’s theory. http://www.sparknotes.com/sociology/socialization/section1.rhtml

This powerpoint is an accessible introduction to the two different aspects of Freud’s theories, with well-chosen examples. http://www.dc3.edu/mike_ryan/SIGMUNDFREUD07.ppt

This powerpoint which gives background on Freud and his theories, but it may not make total sense without details. It has a couple of good diagrams that may help you understand more complex sources. http://core.ecu.edu/soci/juskaa/SOCI2110/Lectures/socialization/index.htm

This is as simple as you’re going to get on Freud but it lack details. A good place to start. http://www.essortment.com/all/freudpersonalit_rkjd.htm

This site has details in relatively everyday language. http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/a/personalityelem.htm

This is a general list of ways women have viewed Freud’s theories. http://psychology.about.com/od/sigmundfreud/p/freud_women.htm

c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010 Kohlberg Kohlberg was interested in what makes different people make different moral decisions (ie discisions about right and wrong). His theory makes a lot of sense, but not everyone reaches the final stages and his experienets only included boys. If you choose this theory, you should also read carol Gilligan’s theory because she found that girls make moral decisions in a completely different way.

Sparknotes has a very simplistic summary of Kohlberg (scroll down) which is worth reading to start you off. http://www.sparknotes.com/sociology/socialization/section1.rhtml

This is a thorough examination of Kohlberg’s theory which explains how if develops from Piaget’s theories. It’s slightly simpler than most of the other detailed analyses, but aimed at a university audience. http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/2245/Moral-Development.html

This essay presents Gilligan’s criticisms of Kohlberg’s theory – ie. how he made women look less moral than men. It’s an academic essay but the language isn’t too bad. It also includes a detailed outline of Kohlberg’s theory. http://wrightjj1.people.cofc.edu/psychology/Gilligan's%20Theory%20of %20Feminine%20Morality.doc

c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010