Lecture 11: Peer Relationships

• What is the definition of friendship?

  A state of enduring affection and trust
• Why are peer relationships beneficial to children's development?

  They promote open expression and skill learning
• At what age do children's friendships typically begin?

  Ages 2 or earlier
• What can children do by 24 months in terms of friendships?

  Imitate peers, cooperate, and problem solve
• How do friendship patterns change from age 5 onwards?

  They become more consistent and intimate
• What characterizes friendships between ages 6 and 8?

  Friends share activities together
• What do friends prioritize by age 9?

  Taking care of each other's needs
• How do teen friendships differ from childhood friendships?

  They become more exclusive and intimate
• What role does technology play in children's friendships?

  Facilitates connections through online communication
• What is the "Rich get Richer" theory in digital interactions?

  Good offline skills benefit online communication
• What are some essential benefits of friendships?

  Emotional support and social skill development
• How do friendships contribute to cognitive development?

  They challenge ideas and promote constructive discussions
• What are some negative behaviors associated with friendships?

  Violence, substance use, and anti-social behaviors
• How do gender differences manifest in friendships?

  Girls have closer friendships and higher stress
• What are the characteristics of cliques in mid-childhood?

  Same sex and ethnicity, not always close friends
• How do peer networks change in adolescence?

  Multiple cliques and increased mixed-gender interactions
• What are the costs associated with cliques?

  Imitation of negative behaviors like substance use
• What are the four main types of bullying?

  Physical, verbal, social, and cyber
• What percentage of 15-year-olds have dated?

  Over 50%
• How is peer status commonly assessed?

  By asking classes who they like/dislike
• What are the five groups of peer status?

  Popular, rejected, neglected, average, controversial
• What characterizes popular children?

  They are prosocial and cooperative
• What is a characteristic of aggressive rejected children?

  They use hostile and threatening strategies
• What defines withdrawn rejected children?

  They are socially withdrawn and anxious
• What is a characteristic of neglected children?

  They are less sociable and avoid aggression
• What defines controversial children?

  They are liked and disliked by many
• How do cultural differences affect peer relationships?

  They shape perceptions of desirable behavior
• How do Western cultures view withdrawn children?

  As weak and socially incompetent
• What recent changes in China affect perceptions of shyness?

  Assertive behavior is now more valued
• How does unsociability affect peer acceptance in rural China?

  It leads to peer rejection
• What is the impact of parental attachments on peer relationships?

  They influence risk levels in friendships
• What role do interventions play in bullying?

  They can help reduce victimization
• How do romantic relationships evolve from younger to older teens?

  From status to compatibility and intimacy
• What is the relationship between peer status and social behaviors?

  Influenced by attractiveness and social behaviors
• What is the relationship between aggression and peer rejection?

  Socially rejected children tend to be aggressive
• How does social withdrawal relate to peer rejection?

  It is linked to peer rejection in many cultures
• What is the significance of cultural changes in peer relationships?

  They shape children's perceptions of behavior
• How do cultural values influence children's social competence?

  They determine what behaviors are valued
• What are the benefits of friendships across the lifespan?

  • Young children: social skills, emotional support
  • Teens: identity development, emotional support
  • Adults: companionship, support during transitions
• What are the developmental changes in friendships from childhood to adolescence?

  • Early childhood: proximity and shared activities
  • Middle childhood: intimacy and mutual care
  • Adolescence: exclusivity and emotional depth