The role of children's competence experiences in the socialization process: A dynamic process framework for the Academic arena

This chapter presents the case that the experiences around competence (e.g., perfomance in school and perceptions of one's ability to do well in school) that children bring to their interactions with parents represent one such dimension in parent socialization of children. The chapter deals with the role of children's competences in the socialization process. Children's competence experiences may represent a central dimension of children that affects the socialization process not only in the academic arena but also in other arenas. Indeed, a general principle may be that the need for psychological Resources that children bring to their interactions with others has a significant influence in determining the course of the socialization process. This chapter focuses on the academic arena, because this is an arena in which issues of competence are particularly salient. Indeed, once children enter school, they spend a large portion of each day in activities aimed at developing their academic competencies.