Banduras Social Cognitive Theory

Soccer has been around for hundreds of years, and just like any other sport, it is pivotal for children’s development. Kids’ aged 8-12 are in a crucial point in their life where they are still trying to figure out whom they are and who they want to be. Playing sports enables children to create friendships they otherwise might not have formed and it helps build their character and moral principles. Kids’ also learn that being part of a team requires the same effort from all the members to succeed, as well as how to win with class and lose with dignity. Soccer is the perfect game for 8-12 year olds and it can adequately describe children’s development by using Banduras Social Cognitive Theory, Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory, and self-esteem

Bandura said that learning could occur through observing and imitating someone else’s behavior especially if there is a positive or negative consequence of a model’s behavior. In society, children are surrounded by many influential models such as parents, characters on children’s TV, friends and teachers at school. These models provide examples of behavior to mimic. If a child imitates a model’s behavior and the consequences are rewarding, the child is likely to continue performing the behavior. For example, if a child sees a peer passing the ball and the coach is praising his or her efforts, the child is more likely to also pass the ball and practice teamwork. The Social Cognitive theory and soccer have a positive correlation with children ages 8-12 because at this point in kids’ lives, they are learning from their peers and they are learning to respect authority, rules, team colleagues and opponents. Soccer is developmentally appropriate for 8-12 year olds because during this age they are also learning that all of their actions will have either positive or negative

Self- esteem is the evaluative component of the self and how we judge ourselves in terms of worth as a person. Self- esteem stems from two sources, which are the difference between our desired self and our actual self, as well as support from others. Children ages 8-12 tend to judge themselves based on their overall self-esteem. This includes scholastic competence, social acceptance, athletic competence, physical appearance, and behavioral conduct. Although soccer is a team effort, it does reflect individual skill. In this age group, children are judging themselves based on what they contribute to the team. If they are skilled and score a lot of goals, they will probably have a higher self- esteem because they know what they are capable of. However, if the child doesn’t really have that many foot skills and can’t keep the ball, the child may not feel confident and struggle to play up to expectations and therefore have a lower self-esteem. Moreover, positive parenting behaviors could also be beneficial towards a child’s self-esteem. For example, if the parent shows interest in their child’s activities and often provides praise and encouragement for his or her efforts, it could result in a favorable attitude for the child. Soccer could be very important for those who play it because it would allow a child to set goals and meet them. Soccer could also boost up a kids’ self-esteem because