Socioemotional Socioemotional DevelopmentDevelopment

Socioemotional Socioemotional DevelopmentDevelopment

Infancy and Early ChildhoodInfancy and Early ChildhoodChapter 5Chapter 5

Erikson’s 1st 3 Stages• Infancy

– Basic trust vs Mistrust

• 1-3 Years– Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt

• 3-5 Years– Initiative vs Guilt

Attachment

• Mom vs Dad• Four forms

– Secure attachment– Avoidant attachment– Resistant attachment– Disorganized attachment

Alternate Caregiving• ~6 million US toddlers/infants are

not cared for by their mothers– 1/3rd cared for in their home

• Dads or grandparents

– 1/3rd cared for in a provider’s home• Often a relative’s

– 1/3rd cared for in day care/nursery

Effects of Day Care• National Institute of Child Health &

Human Development (1997, 2001)– Followed mothers and their newborns– No overall effect on mother-child attachment– Insecure attachment

• Less sensitive moms + low quality/large amounts of care

What to look for?

• Low child to caregiver ratio• Well trained, experienced staff• Educational & social opportunities• Effective communication between

parents and day care workers.

Emotion• Basic emotions

– a subjective feeling – a physiological change – an overt behavior

• Measuring emotions– Infants– 5-6 months

Developing Emotions• Basic

– Newborns = Pleasure & distress– 2/3mo = joy– 4-6mo = anger– 6mo = fear– 8/9mo = all basic emotions

• Complex– Pride, guilt, embarrassment– 18 to 24mo– Requires understanding of self

• Cultural Differences– Encouragement of expression– Emotional triggers

Recognizing Emotions• Parental cues are important• Social referencing

– Infants look to their parents for cues on how to react to new situations

• Affective Perspective Taking– Having the ability to understand how

someone else feels

Regulating Emotions• Begins in infancy

– Looking/moving away from frightening objects

• Rely less on others – More on mental strategies

• Start matching strategies with settings

Interaction• Play

– 12mo; parallel play• Play alone but pay attention to what the other is

doing

– 15-18mo; simple social play• Do similar activities

– 24mo; cooperative play• Organized play with special roles

• Make-believe

Interaction• Solitary play

– Problem?• Not normally• Warning signs: wandering, hovering

• Gender Differences– Naturally select same sex friends– Resist playing with the opposite sex

• Different type of play• Girls enable• Boys constrict

Cooperation• Age

– Egocentrism– Communication skills

• Response to cooperation• Encouragement

Helping Others• Prosocial behavior

– Behavior that benefits someone else

• Altruism– Feelings of responsibility

• Helping/sharing

• Skills Needed– Affective perspective taking– Empathy (experience others’ emotions)

• Socialization

Gender Roles• Stereotypes• Gender differences

– Verbal ability– Mathematics– Spatial ability– Social influence– Aggression– Emotional sensitivity

Gender Typing

• Reward children for actions congruent with their sex

• Respond differently• Talk differently• Different household chores• Fathers more likely• Peers also critical

Gender Identity• Gender labeling (2-3yrs)

– Am I a boy or girl?• Gender stability (3-4yrs)

– Boys=Men; Girls=Women• Gender constancy (4-7yrs)

– Doesn’t change situation to situation• Gender-schema theory

– Children first decide if something is male or female; then whether to learn more about it