1.4: Contexts of Development
- Page ID
- 225433
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- Explain how different environmental, cultural, and social factors interact to shape a child's growth and development.
The way development occurs varies widely depending on the context in which a child grows up. Context, in relation to development, refers to all the settings in which development occurs. Children develop in multiple contexts, including but not limited to:
- family,
- school,
- community,
- socio-economic status,
- and culture.
Family
The family is often considered the primary and most enduring context for child development. While families today take many different forms, they all serve one purpose: they are responsible for the socialization of the child (Levine & Munsch, 2024). "They [families] instill the norms, values, attitudes and beliefs of their culture so that children grow up to be positive, contributing members of their society" (Levine & Munsch, 2024, pg 16).
Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\). A father walking with his two sons. Image by Heather Carter is licensed CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
School
School is another important context for development in most countries. In the United States, children spend approximately 30-35 hours a week in school. Within this context, children learn academic skills, such as reading, writing, and arithmetic, as well as providing additional socialization experiences. The quality of the school setting, including teacher support, peer relationships, and school resources, influences various developmental outcomes (Eccles & Roeser, 2011). Positive teacher-student relationships, for example, are linked to better academic performance and emotional well-being in students (Hamre & Pianta, 2001). Moreover, access to extracurricular activities can enhance children's socio-emotional development, helping them build resilience, social skills, and a sense of belonging (Mahoney et al., 2005).
Community
Communities offer both resources and challenges that impact child development. Children growing up in resource-rich communities with accessible parks, libraries, quality schools, and safe neighborhoods tend to have better cognitive and social outcomes (Leventhal & Brooks-Gunn, 2000). Conversely, children in high-crime or impoverished neighborhoods face risks related to stress and limited access to quality education and healthcare.
Socioeconomic Status
Socioeconomic status (SES) is an indication of the perceived social standing, or social class, of an individual or group based on measures of income, education, and occupation (American Psychological Association, n.d.). Differences in socioeconomic status (SES) can be associated with inequities in access to resources, which in turn can have a negative impact on the lives of children and families. This process begins before a child is born, when parents without adequate resources have less access to good nutrition, quality prenatal care, or housing in environmentally safe areas.
Research shows that children from low-SES backgrounds often face challenges in terms of academic achievement, emotional regulation, and physical health (Bradley & Corwyn, 2002). SES impacts can begin in early childhood, where low-income families may experience limited access to quality childcare, nutrition, and healthcare (Duncan & Magnuson, 2011). However, programs like Head Start and interventions focused on family support can help alleviate some disadvantages and promote positive outcomes for children and families.
Culture
Culture includes the traditions, beliefs, values, and behaviors shared by a group (Arnett & Jensen, 2019). Culture emerges from a group's place in a particular environment, promoting the survival of the group by improving its ability to meet the environment's demands. In child development, parental ethnotheories are culturally engrained. Parental ethnotheories are a framework for understanding how a cultural context impacts development - in layman's terms, it's how culture influences the ideas parents have about the best way to raise their child.
While some developmental concepts are universal (such as play and love), many other aspects of development can vary greatly from one culture to another. Rather than labeling parenting practices as inferior or superior vs. different, we need to understand that these practices are a reflection of the cultural values held by the parents. When we respect this diversity, we are acknowledging that cultural context provides a sense of responsiveness to the "realities of a particular environment and promotes the well-being of children in that culture" (Levine & Munsch, 2024, p. 18).
References and Attributions
Arnett, J.J. & Jensen, L.A. (2019). (3rd ed). Human development: A cultural approach. Pearson.
Bradley, R. H., & Corwyn, R. F. (2002). Socioeconomic status and child development. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 371–399. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psyc....100901.135233
Eccles, J. S., & Roeser, R. W. (2011). Schools as developmental contexts during adolescence. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 21(1), 225–241. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00725.x
Duncan, G. J., & Magnuson, K. (2011). The nature and impact of early achievement skills, attention skills, and behavior problems. In G. J. Duncan & R. J. Murnane (Eds.), Whither Opportunity? Rising Inequality and the Uncertain Life Chances of Low-Income Children (pp. 47–70). Russell Sage Foundation.
Hamre, B. K., & Pianta, R. C. (2001). Early teacher-child relationships and the trajectory of children's school outcomes through eighth grade. Child Development, 72(2), 625–638. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00301
Leventhal, T., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2000). The neighborhoods they live in: The effects of neighborhood residence on child and adolescent outcomes. Psychological Bulletin, 126(2), 309–337. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.126.2.309
Levine, L.E. & Munsch, J. (2024). Child development from infancy to adolescence: An active learning approach. SAGE.
Mahoney, J. L., Cairns, B. D., & Farmer, T. W. (2005). Promoting interpersonal competence and educational success through extracurricular activity participation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 97(3), 388–397. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.97.3.388