Fatima Batool 020

Hajra khan 025

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
The process of learning and acquiring social skills, norms, and values necessary for successful and
good relationships with others is referred to as social development. It involves variety of
skills including effective communication, social problem-solving, empathy, cooperation, and
emotional control. From the birth to adulthood the process of social development continues. Thus
Social development is a crucial component of overall human development and it enables a person to
build their bonds for later stages of social and emotional development.

THEORIES OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

1. SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY; According to this theory, people learn social behaviours
and abilities through watching others and imitating how they act. The significance of rewarding good
behaviour and punishing bad behaviour is specified.

EXAMPLE; Imagine a child who sees an older brother getting attention and praise for doing well in
school. The child may then adopt this behaviour and put forth extra effort in order to succeed in
school and win the same level of respect and attention from their parents. Because of the elder
sibling's positive reinforcement (praise and attention), the younger sibling has in this scenario
learned a new behaviour (working hard in school).

2. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY; Jean Piaget's Cognitive Development

Theory places an emphasis on the function of cognitive processes in social development. It suggest
that children go through stages of cognitive development that shape their understanding of the
social world and their ability to interact with others.

EXAMPLE; Language learning is cognitive growth. Beginning with simple sounds, infants gradually
learn to recognise and generate more complex sounds, words, and phrases. They may start to
comprehend fundamental grammar principles, employ more sophisticated vocabulary, and interact
with others more effectively as their language cognitive abilities grow.

3. ATTACHMENT THEORY; John Bowlby's theory of attachment emphasises the significance

of early attachment ties in determining social development. It argues that based on their early
interactions with caregivers, children form an internal working model of relationships.

EXAMPLE; children are securely attached to their primary caregivers. The child may become upset
when the carer leaves the room, but they might use the carer as an escape to explore their
surroundings. The child seeks comfort from the carer when they come back and is quickly calmed.

4. SOCIOCULTURE THEORY; Lev Vygotsky is the creator of the sociocultural theory, which
emphasises how social and cultural variables influence social development. It implies that social
interactions and cultural circumstances are important for the development of social behaviours and
skills.

EXAMPLE; A child growing up in a collectivistic society that prioritises ideals such as family and
community. From an early age, the child may be taught to put the needs of the group before their
own, which encourages the development of excellent interpersonal skills. In contrast, a child raised in
an individualistic society that places a high value on self-actualization and independence may be
taught to prioritise their own goals and aspirations and may also learn effective self-expression and
assertiveness skills.

5. ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM THEORY: This theory emphasises the significance of the social
and physical environment in influencing social development. It implies that people are influenced by
a variety of environmental influences, ranging from the macrosystem of culture and society to the
microsystem of family and peers.

VYGOTSKY’S THEORY VS PIAGET’S THEORY

1. 1. According to Piaget, people form their habits and behavior’s cognitively, or apart from
other people's conduct. Vygotsky accords society the utmost significance in the formation of
an individual's behavior.

2. Vygotsky places more emphasis on the role of the surrounding culture and language on
social development than Piaget does.

3. 3. Piaget categorizes social development into specific age-based stages, whereas Vygotsky
claims that social development occurs gradually.
4. Piaget's theory prioritizes thoughts and schemas over language during the developmental
process. According to Piaget, language is restricted to the child's developmental stage and
reflects rather than affects schemas. In contrast to Piaget's theory, which holds that
development happens as a result of learning about the environment, Vygotsky sees
language as a crucial instrument and emphasizes social interaction.
5. Piaget's phases of cognitive development were thought to apply to people of all sexes and
cultural backgrounds. Piaget's approach sees cognitive development as being universal and
unaffected by cultural factors. In contrast, Vygotsky asserts that culture has a significant
impact on cognitive development. The values, language, and symbols of a culture are taught
to children, and these cultural tools later influence how people perceive the world.

ARTICLES:
Community Development and Social Development: Informing
Concepts of Place and Intentional Social Change in a Globalizing
World
ABSTRACT:
Community development gives insights that are helpful to social development, particularly the
profession of social work, as it is a pluralistic field of scholarship and practise. The ways in which
place matters are particularly intriguing among these contributions. This essay examines how
communities and community development are conceptualised, discusses the importance of
community development scholarship, and makes suggestions for further study. The latter involves
paying closer attention to demographic and socioeconomic traits and patterns in connection to the
effects of development initiatives on the population at large.

Development of social skills during middle childhood:

Growth trajectories and school-related predictors
ABSTRACT:
This study assessed the level and progression of social skills in a sizable sample of normally
developing children in Norway (N = 2,076) over five assessment points from fourth through seventh
grade, as well as the impact of child gender and school-related factors. Girls scored slightly higher
than males on social skills tests on average, and individual order stability was fairly high across time.
Growth mixture modelling (GMM) discovered three unique trajectory classes: one with constant
average scores over time (72%); two (14% each); and one with high initial and dropping scores and
low initial and growing scores, respectively. Within the trajectory classes, numerous school-related
characteristics, such as student-teacher relationships, influenced the development of social skills.

REFERENCES:

https://study.com/learn/lesson/social-development-theory-model.html

Piaget vs Vygotsky: Similarities & Difference | StudySmarter

Full article: Development of social skills during middle childhood: Growth trajectories and school-
related predictors (tandfonline.com)

Community Development and Social Development: Informing Concepts of Place and Intentional
Social Change in a Globalizing World - John J. Green, 2016 (sagepub.com)