Child Social Development

Introduction Social control theory developed by Travis Hirschi specially states that all individuals actually have the potential to develop antisocial or criminal tendencies however it is the â€Å"bond† they share with society whether in the form of friendships, recognition of societal rules and norms of conduct, parental influences etc. that prevent them from manifesting such behavior (Payne Salotti, 2007).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Child Social Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Hirschi goes on further to state that crimes occur due to individuals either losing or weakening the various bonds which bind them to society and as such results in them not caring of the social ramifications of certain criminal actions. It is based on this that it can be seen that instilling proper social-emotional learning early on in a child’s life is of paramount importance in ensuring that they devel op the necessary social and emotional bonds as well as the right way of thinking in order to succeed in aspects related to school, family life, community obligations and work. It is based on this that this paper will explore the various qualities needed in order for a child to develop into a proper and well-balanced adult that is ready to tackle whatever life throws their way. What is needed for Positive Social Development? All individuals need to have a skill set that helps them cope not only with social interactions but with personal relations and the bonds that help to keep them in place. It is based on this that one of the first personal capabilities that contribute to positive social development is empathy. Empathy is a way in which an individual is able to understand either the positive or negative aspects of another person’s life. It helps to facilitate a moment of deep thought and reflection wherein they place themselves in that person’s shoes and â€Å"feelâ €  how certain positive or negative events would feel if it happened to them. It is through this that people learn how to promote positive behaviors and limit negative ones due to their perception over how it would be like if such experiences had occurred to them as well. The second personal capability needed is tolerance; all too often people encounter various situations in their life that test their patience whether it comes in the form of a frustrating spouse, a demanding boss at work or even certain events that don’t go the way they were planned.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Tolerance can be thought of as a conscious effort to take such things in stride and to address them calmly and reasonably instead of reacting violently and irresponsibly. By developing proper tolerance an individual is able to respond to everyday challenges and cope with them instead of bein g frustrated and lashing out at those around them. The last personal capability needed for positive social development is responsibility. Individuals need to learn to take responsibility for their actions or to take into account the possible repercussions of certain actions and how they will be responsible for it. Through an understanding of individual responsibility individuals are able to limit negative behaviors due to their belief that they are inherently responsible for everything they do. This results in the development of further traits such as integrity, positive work ethics, as well as lesser predilection towards criminal behavior. Qualities needed in a Family Environment In order to bring about the positive personal capabilities discussed in the previous section there are distinct factors necessary in a family environment in order to bring them about. The first factor is a supportive family environment that facilitates independent action, emotional development and the crea tion of bonds that help to develop an individual’s social, emotional and mental stability. It is suggested by Siegel (2011) that it is socialization and not the social structure itself that produces either positive or negative tendencies within children as they grow and develop (Siegel, 2011). Siegel explains that â€Å"the more social problems encountered during the socialization process the greater the likelihood that youths will encounter difficulties and obstacles as they mature, such as being unemployed or becoming a teenage mother† (Siegel, 2011). It is based on this that social learning theorists suggest crime is a direct result of individuals learning norms, values, and behaviors associated with criminal activity (Siegel, 2011). When taking such factors into consideration it can be seen that a supportive family environment is a necessity in ensuring proper social development.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Child Social Development specif ically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Children develop their positive or negative tendencies through emulation and socialization within family units and as such the greater the support given within an environment for proper emotional and mental development that is in line with positive societal traits the more likely it is for a child to develop into a proper adult. The second trait needed within a family environment for positive social development is familial affection. What must be understood is that a child’s emotional growth is inherently dependent on the care and affection given to them during their formative years. It was seen in numerous cases of absentee mothers or fathers where children were left to their own whims and actions that their emotional growth and development was stunted leading to greater anti-social tendencies resulting in the potential for criminal behavior in the future. It is based on this that adequate familial a ffection that encourages positive emotional growth is a necessity in order to ensure that negative tendencies do not manifest themselves. Qualities of an Effective Classroom Environment A classroom environment is a place where children interact utilizing the personality traits they learned within their family environment inside a social setting and as such it is the responsibility of a teacher to either promote or discourage certain types of positive or negative behavior. One way of contributing towards the positive development of personality capabilities as expressed in the first section is to encourage cooperation and sharing among students. By helping students develop concepts related to cooperation and sharing they are able to take in the first steps towards understanding empathy, tolerance and responsibility. This is done through group exercises where children learn to work together, share materials and take responsibility for certain tasks that they are assigned to do. This he lps them to experience the initial aspects of a basic social setting resulting in the development of positive personality traits. The second quality necessary within a classroom environment is the creation of a reward and punishment system for displayed behavior. By instituting this form of behavioral control this encourages students to display positive forms of behavior such as respecting other children’s things, empathizing with their situations and encouraging them to be responsible for their own behaviors. On the other hand it must be noted that one aspect that should not be implemented within a classroom environment is a rigid and unyielding structure for learning.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Children should be allowed to learn at their own individual paces since not all children have the same capability. If lessons were to proceed at a predetermined pace without taking into account differences in learning ability some children may feel left out resulting in the development of attitudes related to depression or anti-socialization due to them being unable to keep up with the other students. Reference List Payne, A., Salotti, S. (2007). A Comparative Analysis of Social Learning and Social Control Theories in the Prediction of College Crime. Deviant Behavior, 28(6), 553-573. Siegel, L. (2011). Criminology. (11 ed., p. 523). California: Wadsworth Publishing. This essay on Child Social Development was written and submitted by user Omari Diaz to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.