Educ 101.

THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES

Social and Emotional Development

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Catanduanes State University- College of Education

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 Educ 101. THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES
Social and Emotional Development

Greetings to everyone!

After discussing the physical and cognitive development of the child, it is also important to know
the different theories pertaining to their social and emotional development.

In the first part of this chapter, we have already discussed the theories pertaining to the
developmental theories which are as follows:

a. Sigmund Freud’s Psychosexual Stages

b. Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development
c. Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory
d. Bowlby’s Attachment Theory

The theories regarding Development of Motivation and Self-Regulation were also given
emphasis.

a. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

b. Alderfer’s ERG Theory
c. McClelland’s Human Motivation Theory
d. Herzberg’s Two Factors Theory
e. Classroom Implications of Motivation and Self-Regulation

Presentations regarding these lessons were already given in our respective Group Chats. Be sure
that you were able to study these lessons so it would be easier for you to answer the quizzes to be given
later.

For today’s lesson we will be discussing the following:

Moral Development Theories

a. Piaget’s Theory of Moral Reasoning
b. Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development
c. Gilligan’s Stages of Moral Development
Factors Affecting Social and Emotional Development
a. Environmental Risk Factors
b. Family Risk Factors
c. Within-Child Risk Factors

MORAL DEVELOPMENT THEORIES

According to Mingoa & Esmeralda (2021), moral development includes the development of the
attitudes, dispositions, sentiments, and cognitive well-being that are seen on a person's moral judgments
and actions. Moral judgment and moral behavior are important aspects of a person's morality. The
question is when will a child develops morality? When will he or she knows that what he or she is doing is
right and is wrong?

Cognitive psychologists believe that moral judgment develops as children age. This is the time
where they develop advanced reasoning which leads to increased morality. Most contemporary
psychologists and educators generally agree that to be moral is to treat others equally and show concern
for their welfare.

As would-be teachers it is important that you should know how to deal with different behaviors and
attitudes of learners. These learners already have their own attitudes and characteristics even before they
entered your classes. They already have a concept of what is good and bad, what is right and wrong. It is
part of our job as mentors to help them develop desirable characteristics and do away with habirs that
would not help them in their studies and in life in general. This lesson presents moral development theories
that may be applied in the classrooms.

From the book, A Course Module for Child and Adolescent Learners and Learning Principles (Mingoa
& Esmeralda, 2021), the following information were lifted:

Read and understand the information given.

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Social and Emotional Development

Piaget's Theory of Moral Reasoning

Jean Piaget is a Swiss psychologist who explored how children developed moral reasoning. He
believed that children do not automatically learn and internalize the norms and morals of their
society but by means of active interaction with the society and environmental conditions. In his
study, he documented that children learn morality best by dealing with others. He argued that there is
an active process where children conform to society's norms of what is right and wrong.

Piaget viewed justice as the central concept of morality. To unveil how children conceptualize
justice, he told them stories of misbehavior such as playing ball inside the house and then breaking a lamp.
He then solicited their ideas about fair and unfair punishment (Bergin and Bergin, 2015). Based from the
responses, Piaget concluded two kinds of moral reasoning

1. Heteronymous morality (5-9 years), also known as moral realism, is an authority-oriented morality.
Rules are defined by authority and these define what is right and what is wrong. This type of morality
rigidly follows the set of rules in order to avoid punishment. Hence, rules are seen as fixed and children
uphold to them strictly.
2. Autonomous morality (9-10 years), also known as moral relativism, is a reciprocity-oriented
morality. In this type of morality, children no longer see a strong adherence to blind obedience as basis
for moral judgment. This is now based on reciprocity and cooperation where rules can be changed if
people would agree.

Piaget's theory is generally grounded on his concepts of cognitive development. Same with
others, this theory also has limitations. Some questions the reliability of the qualitative methods used by
Piaget. It is apparent that he only used a small sample and is difficult to generalize. Moreover, the moral
development of children is somehow underestimated. Example, moral relativism happens at around 9-10
years old. Other research suggests that there is a possibility that this happens at an earlier age (McLeod,
2015).

Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development

Laurence Kohlberg developed a stage-based moral development model based from Piaget's
Ideas. This moral development theory is divided into three levels with two stages each. In this, people
move through these stages in order, and that cognitive development is the underpinning of moral
understanding

Kohlberg, like Piaget, used more elaborate stories and the most famous is the Heinz Dilemma:

In Europe, a woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There was one drug that the doctors
might save her.... but the druggist was charging 10 times what the drug cost him to make. He...charged
$2000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman's husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow
the money, but he can only get together about $1000. He told the druggist that his wife was dying and
asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said, "No, I discovered the drug and I'm
going to make money from it". So Heinz gets desperate and considers break- ing into the man's store to
steal the drug for his wife (Colby, Kohlberg, Gibbs, and Lieberman, 1983, p.77)

The children were then asked questions such as, "Should Heinz have stolen the drug? Would it
change anything if Heinz did not love his wife? What if the person dying was a stranger, would it make any
difference? Should the police arrest the chemist for murder if the woman died?" (McLeod, 2013). Based
from the responses, Kohlberg outlined six stages of moral development and believed that these stages
happen in the same sequence in all cultures.

Level 1: Preconventional Morality: Punishment and Obedience to Authority

Stage 1. Obedience and Punishment Orientation. The child sees obedience as a means to avoid
punishment. In this stage, bad behavior is punished and good behavior is rewarded. If a child is to answer
the question, "Should Heinz steal the drug?" the answer would be NO because he will be punished.

Stage 2. Individualism and Exchange. In this stage, fairness is given much premium. People follow rules
when it is for their own interest. The main reason for doing right is to serve your own advantage. Moreover,
people will do good to others if they expect them to reciprocate the favor. On the apex of Heinz Dilemma,
the answer would be, "He will not steal the drugs if the druggist is nicer."

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 Educ 101. THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES
Social and Emotional Development

Level II. Conventional Morality: Laws are Supreme

Stage 3. Good Interpersonal Relationships. Morality in this stage strongly depends on what is expected
of you. The reason for doing good is for others to appreciate you being nice. This stage is also called as
the good boy/girl orientation. The answer on Heinz Dilemma in this stage is, "If Heinz is honest, he will be
loved by the people."

Stage 4. Maintaining the Social Order. Doing right in this stage is fulfilling the duties that you agreed
upon. This is also called the "law-and-order" stage for it aims to maintain the functionality of the society.
Laws are binding and relevant to maintain peace and order, hence people should not question them. The
answer to Heinz in this stage is, "Stealing is against the law. If all people will steal, the society will be in
chaos."

Level III. Postconventional Morality: Abstract Principles of Justice and Rights

Stage 5. Social Contract and Individual Rights. Laws in this stage are open for evaluation. If the laws
protect the people, therefore the law is good. In this sense, people should not follow the rules because it is
a mandate, but because there is an agreement between them to protect each other's welfare. A typical
answer to Heinz's problem is, "Laws may be disregarded when a person's life depends on the act of
breaking the law"

Stage 6. Universal Principles. Doing right is based on self-chosen ethical principles and the reason for
doing right is a commitment to universal moral principles of equality, justice, and dignity. If rules and
principles resulted to conflict. Choose principles. A typical response to Heinz's question is, "All factors on
the situation must be taken into consideration, that sometimes, stealing is the right choice."

Kohlberg's Moral Development Theory is an important breakthrough in the aspect of moral

psychology. However, the theory gained some important criticism (Cherry, 2021). First, moral reasoning
is not the same as moral behavior. The theory is more of moral thinking and it does not usually
affect our actual actions. Second, it was observed that the theory overemphasized justice. In reality,
some other factors will be considered in moral reasoning such as compassion and own feelings. Lastly,
critics have seen some biases in the aspects of culture (focused on western culture), age (focused on
children), and gender (since all the subjects were male).

Gilligan's Stages of Moral Development

Carol Gilligan is an American contemporary psychologist who have been recognized for her
dedication on the areas of women's moral psychology. Though patterned from Kohlberg's Theory of
Moral Development, this theory responded to the male-centered theories of Freud, Erikson, and even
Kohlberg. She centered on the moral development and dilemmas of young girls and emphasized the gender
difference psychology where sexes may think differently when it comes to moral problems.

Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development suggested that children undergo the developmental
stages of moral reasoning guided by the principles of justice and individual rights. Furthermore, Kohlberg
emphasized that not everyone can reach the highest stage but found out that more men reached the stage
of moral reasoning because they are more focused on justice. This was the reason why Gilligan crafted her
theory for she believed that it was biased in favor of men. Instead of justice, her theory accentuated the
"morality of care and responsibility which stresses on compassion, relationships, and self-
sacrifice.”

Source: https://lfkkb.tripod.com/eng24/gilliganstheory.html

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Social and Emotional Development

Like Kohlberg, Gilligan's theory comprises three levels and two transitions that are marked by
changes in the sense of self.

The first level is preconventional where selfishness is a primary concern. The transition from
selfishness to responsibility to others leads to the realization that caring for others rather than the self is
good.

The second level is the conventional and the goal is self-sacrifice by means of portraying the
conventional view for women as caretakers and protectors. The transition from goodness to the truth that
she is a person, too, gives the realization that she must take care of herself, too.

The final level is the postconventional which reflects the principle of nonviolence. The basic tenet
in this level is to hurt no one including the self because the self and the others are morally equal.

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 Educ 101. THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT LEARNERS AND LEARNING PRINCIPLES
Social and Emotional Development

Answer this……..
After reading the explanation given to each of the theories regarding moral development, read the
situation given and answer the questions that follows:

Use an extra sheet of paper for your answer.

Elena was a twelve-year-old girl. Her mother promised that she could go to a special
concert of her favorite band coming to their town if she saved up from the allowance she is given every
week and from her part time job at the canteen near their house. She managed to save one thousand pesos
needed to buy the ticket plus an extra five hundred pesos. But then her mother changed her mind and told
Elena that she had to spend the money on new clothes for school. Judy was disappointed and decided to
go to the concert anyway. She bought a ticket and told her mother that she had only been able to save five
hundred. That Saturday she went to the performance and told her mother that she was spending the day
with a friend. A week passed without her mother finding out. Elena then told her older sister, Jennifer, that
she had gone to the concert and had lied to her mother about it. Jennifer wonders whether to tell their
mother what Elena did. What do you think must Jennifer do?

1. Considering Kohlberg’s stages of moral development, what do you think Jennifer must do?

2. Based on your answer in number 1, classify your answers according to the three levels of Gillian’s
theory.

3. Explain also what Jennifer must do under the two kinds of moral reasoning by Piaget.

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Social and Emotional Development

Factors Affecting Social and Emotional Development

A child’s social and emotional well-being is important in his or her overall development. Children
who are healthy emotionally and socially shows positive attitude towards their studies and life as a whole.
They feel accepted and loved and this is reflected on how they react to life’s ups and downs.

There are many factors that affect a learners’ social and emotional competencies. It is divided into
three main categories: 1) environmental risk factors, (2) family risk factors; and (3) within-child risk
factors.

Mingoa and Esmeralda (2021) listed in their book entitled A Course Module for Child and Adolescent
Learners and Learning Principles (Mingoa & Esmeralda, 2021), the following information regarding this
topic.

Environmental Risk Factors

The social environment where children are immersed plays an important role in their personality
development. Certain environmental characteristics can contribute to an increased risk on the child's social
and emotional competencies. The environmental factors are categorized within three aspects: physical
surroundings, community resources, and social relationships (Health Engine in Khan, 2021).

They are manifested on the following:

• Poor physical surroundings comprise living in a poor area where recreation and playgrounds are
rare, if not absent. Children who come from a poor environment are typically associated with poor
health conditions and poor motor skills.
• Lack of health facilities and cleanliness is one of the worst environmental factors. Cleanliness
directly affects the entire well-being of children. Absence of medical facilities and practitioners is
detrimental to our development. If these are experienced by children, they may likely experience
problems on their physical and social development.
• Lack of educational facilities strongly affects the social and mental development of children.
Researches unveiled that children who start school late develop poor social skills than those of the
other learners. Moreover, learners who travel long-distance would also suffer emotional
disturbance.
• Lack of community support could mean lack of friends, absence of good teachers, and deficiency
of community moral support. This factor directly affects the social development of the child.
• Frequent change of community and school is a common scenario when parents are forced to
move due to some work-related concerns. Children who experience this would likely encounter
difficulty in finding social support. Adjustment is another factor to be considered since not all
children can easily cope with drastic change in their social setting.

Family Risk Factors

Home is a place where children should feel safe and secured. It is more than a concrete object
where the family stays. It is a place where good memories must be created and stored. However, not all
homes share the same characteristics. There are home environments that could be sources of negative
relations and stress that could increase the risk on the child's social and emotional competencies.

• Work-related stress for parents is a parental factor that can truly affect the entire family
relationship. An example of work-related stress is when parents work in a long-distance or even
overseas where time for children is sacrificed. Studies show that when a child lacks parental
attention, he/she has the tendency to cultivate low self- esteem and confidence.
• Poor family rituals and routines include time for eating, bonding or quality time, discipline in
terms of sleep, and all related activities. Lack of discipline in all of the mentioned activities could
lead to poor emotional and social development.
• Lack of love and respect in the relationship at home is a sign of negative environment. The
social development, especially the emotional development, would be at risk. This situation could
destroy the personality of a child and may develop envy toward his/her friends. Example of this is
when parents are fighting in front of children that may lead to divorce. These factors can lead to
depression and anxiety among the children.

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Social and Emotional Development

• Abuse and violence influence children's emotional regulation and self- confidence. Abused
children tend to exhibit unregulated emotions such as anger, fear, and even shame. Moreover, they
are difficult to engage with and sometimes they detach themselves from peers. This is literally the
worst factor.

Within-Child Risk Factors

This factor defines the inner being of a child such as emotions, personality, and behavior.

• Fussy temperament. Temperament is defined as the expression of various emotional responses

to the environment and situation. It is an offshoot of the interplay between biological and
environmental factors. Difficult children with highly active temperament tend to gain attention by
crying and shouting. Such temperament may have a long-lasting effect for children. Examples are
antisocial behavior and negative emotions.
• Developmental disabilities and exceptionalities are conditions developed because of some
impairment in physical, learning, and language that affect behavior. Most developmental disabilities
are caused by complex factors such as genetics, parental behavior during pregnancy, and early
complications. At an early age, they may exemplify behaviors where low self-esteem and envy are
evident. Living with this kind of disability does not mean a person cannot live a normal life.
Educational institutions are offering inclusive education where, for example, blind students can join
a class where they perform activities like other students. Teachers must be trained to align all
requirements within their means. As a key factor to this, parents and teachers must collaborate to
ensure their social and emotional development.

Essential Points to Remember

As educators, we play significant roles on our learners' emotional and social development. It is true
that learners, when they go to school, have already developed personalities and behaviors. The factors
discussed previously can give you a glimpse on why the learners' emotions and behaviors vary. Later, you
may encounter students who exemplify delinquent behavior and this lesson gives you the idea that these
students need you. Hence, here are some important concepts that will help you understand your learners

• Your learners' level of maturity depends on their mental development. Never assume that your
learners will show mature actions when they are in play age. Moreover, do not use assessment as
punishment. Apart from the learners will experience stress, they may also develop assessment
anxiety.
• Always establish classroom rules that mirror the society. It is also relevant that the learners take
part in the making of rules so that they will have a sense of ownership toward them.
• To build strong social and emotional competencies, make sure to create opportunities where
children collaborate with other children. Cooperation and interdependence are very important in
the aspect of social and emotional development.
• Establish an environment where learners are free to express their feelings where they also feel
safe. This can also develop confidence among the learners where they can trust themselves to
perform school tasks.
• When you have learners with disabilities and exceptionalities, always establish a collaboration with
the family to establish a support system that may enhance the learners' self-confidence.

In some isolated cases when a learner is abused, teachers have to be a strong image to him/her
and must express positive emotions that could respond to their emotional needs. They need constant
communication and emotional upliftment.

Reference:

Mingoa, T.R. & Esmeralda, E.L. 2021. A Course Module for Child and Adolescent Learners and
Learning Principles. Rex Book Store.