Chapter 6: Social and Emotianal Development in Early Childhood

Erikson's Psychosocial Stage early childhood

Initative vs Guilt

Initative development

self confidence to approach others, asking for help or seeking connections, taking the lead in play situations

Guilt development

hesitation in social interactions, waiting for others to make the first move, feeling unsafe about approach strategies

Key conflict in Initative vs Guilt stage

Learning to initiaite activities, risk of developing feelings of guilt, building on trust and autonomy from earlier stages

Caregiver strategies in supporting initative development

responding to children's social interests, arranging playdates when requested, following through on promised social events

Encouaging Independence in Initative Development

empowering children to take responsibility, supporting them through new challenges, avoiding criticism for minor failures

How to balance guidance for Initative development

allow freedom to explore, provide structure for safety, be patient with learning processes

Temperament foundations

biologically-based patterns of behavior, present from infancy, observable actions and tendancies

Observable dimensions in temperament

Activity level (high vs. low energy), sensitivity to stimuli, emotional intensity, perserverance and persistence

Individual differences in temperament

preference for quiet vs. active play, comfort with novel situations, reaction to new people and experiences

Big five personality factors

openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism

Emerging personality traits

more internal than temperament, stable across contexts, measured on continious spectrum

Openness

imagination and novelty-seeking

Conscientiousness

attention, persistence, routines

Extraversion

outgoing vs. withdrawn

Agreeableness

compliance and pleasing others

Neuroticism

degree of emotional stability and reactions

Developmental considerations of Big Five personality factors

personality still shifting based on context, not fully stablized until later childhood/adolescence, Both genetic and environmental influences

Self-esteem definition

personal evaluation of oneself, feeling of high or low regard for self, emotional component of self-concept

Influencing factors of self esteem development

parental love and encouragement, feedback from caregivers, early successes and failures

Age related patterns in self esteem development

Age 4: generally high self-esteem, Age 5+: more realistic self-perceptions, Beginning of social comparisons

Development of social comparisons

Age 4: limited ability to compare, Age 5: more self-concious evaluation, coincides with formal education entry

School influence on social comparisons

exposure to many same-ages peers, observation of varying skill levels, recognition of not being "best" at everything

Adjustment process for social comparisons

typically see slight self-esteem decline, more realistic self-perception develops, less reliance on parental praise

Emerging self-conscious emotions

guilt, shame, pride, embarassment, sympathy and empathy for others, more complex emotional experiences

Cultural influences on self-conscious emotions

expressions vary by cultural context, parental responses shape future displays, different emphasis on specific emotions

Metacognition development on self-concious emotions

thinking about thinking, reflecting on emotional states, considering impact of behavior on feelings

Self-regulation definition

ability to control emotional reactions, managing arousal levels, expressing age-appropriate emotions

Developmental progression in emotional regulation

Infancy/toddlerhood: caregiver assistance needed, early childhood: increasing self-management, progressive independence in regulation

Neurological factors in emotional regulation

brain maturation supports regulation, development of frontal lobe functions, improved cognitive control

Impulse Control definition

ability to delay urges and desires, considering long-term vs short-term rewards, controlling immediate reactions

Impulse control developmental milestones

achieved between ages 3-6, significant individual differences, important for school readiness

Impulse control supporting skills

attentional control, working memory, planning abilities, calming techniques

Emotional intelligence components

regulatory skills, interpersonal skills, parental influence

Regulatory skills in emotional intelligence

attentional control (looking away from temptations), calming strategies (deep breathing, counting), planning and goal-directed behavior

Interpersonal skills in emotional intelligence

perspective-taking (understanding others' viewpoints), empathy (feeling others' emotional states), assertive communication (expressing needs appropriately)

Parental Influence in emotinal intelligence

emotion coaching vs. dismissing, modeling appropriate regulation, supporting emotional vocabulary

Baumrind's parenting dimensions

warmth (emotional supportiveness), structure (rules and boundaries), later addition: support for autonomy

Parenting styles importance in development

shapes child's view of relationships, influences emotional regulation, affects social skills development

Cultural considerations in parenting styles

effectiveness varies by cultural context, different values across communities, adaptation to environment

Key characteristics of authoritarian parenting

high structure, low warmth, rules-focused approach, limitied negotiation or compromise

Metaphor for authoritarian parenting

like a "brick wall" - firm with no give, inflexible and uncompromising, strong boundaries

Potential outcomes of authoritarian parenting

wariness around authority figures, hesitiation to speak up, possible later rebellion

Key characteristics of authoritative parenting

high structure, high warmth, relationship-focused approach, communication and explanation

Metaphor for authoritative parenting

Like a "drum" - firm but flexible, responsive to child's needs, maintains necessary boundaries

Potential outcomes of authoritative parenting

compromise skills, healthy coping strategies, understanding others' needs

Key Characteristics of Permissive Parenting

low structure, high warmth, child-focused approach, prioritizing child's happiness

Metaphor for Permissive Parenting

like "gelatin" - highly moldable, adapting to child's preferences, lacking firm shape or boundaries

Potential outcomes of permissive parenting

challenges with compromise, difficulty accepting limitations, self-regulation struggles

Key Characteristics: Uninvolved Parenting

low structure, low warmth, parent-focused approach, limited attention to child's needs

Metaphor for uninvolved parenting

like a "ghost" - often absent, minimal engagement, limited guidance

Potential causes of Uninvolved Parenting

parental mental health issuses, substance misuse, economic hardship, unwanted custody

Operant conditioning principles

reinforcement encourages behavior, punishment discourages behavior, immediate consequences are most effective

Reinforcement effectiveness

novel and unexpected works best, small, intangible rewards (praise, attention), building intrinsic motivation

Developmental benefits of motivation and discipline

teaching desired behaviors, building neural connections, maintaining positive interactions

Types of punishment

natural punishment, logical punishment, illogical punishment

Natural punishment

letting nature take its course, learning from natrual consequences, limited by safety concerns

Logical Punishment

rational consequences for behavior, conceptually connected to action, teaches cause and effect

Illogical Punishment

penalty not connected to behavior, may create furstration, less effective for learning

Sibiling Influences

first peer relationships, opportunities for social learning, complex emotional connections

Benefits of sibilings

companionship in new situations, conflict resolution practice, knowledge about the world

Sibiling Dynamics

teaching and learning, competition and cooperation, unique relationship qualities

Divorce prevalance

approximately 30% of children affected, increasing diversity of family structures, varying custody arrangements

Impact factors of family dynamics and divorce

child's temperament and coping style, parental conflict level, financial and time strain, age at time of separation

Protective factors of family dynamics and divorce

civil co-parenting, regular contact with both parents, age-appropriate explanations, emotional support

Gender development stages

gender schema theory, gender labeling, gender stability, gender constancy

Gender Schema Theory

understanding gender through progressive stages, cognitive framework for processing gender information, increasing complexity with age

Gender labeling (age 3)

identifying self as girl or boy, basic categorization of others, initial gender awareness

Gender stability (age 4)

understanding boys grow to men, girls to women, recognizing gender as stable concept, may still think superficial changes alter gender

Gender Constancy (Age 6)

gender persists despite surface changes, immune to superficial alterations, more flexible understanding of gender roles

Family influence of gender socialization

parent modeling of gender roles, different expectations based on gender, reinforcement of gender-typical behavior

Peer influence on gender socialization

same-gender play preferences, group enforcement of gender norms, behavioral homophily ("birds of a feather flock together")

Media Influence on Gender Socialization

color-coded marketing, gender stereotypes in children's media, hypermasculine and hyperfeminine representations

Ethnic-racial identity stages

ethnic labeling (assigning labels), ethnic knowledge (understanding differences), ethnic constancy (race/ethnicity as stable)

Racial and Ethnic Identity Influences on development

family discussions and practices, community diversity, media representations

Developmental outcomes of racial and ethnic identity development

group identity formation, understanding of cultural differences, sense of belonging and pride

Peer relationships

same-age social interactions, important socialization context, practice for communication skills

Friendship definition

mutual affection and attachment, looking forward to seeing again, reciprocal relationship

Friendship formation factors

Proximity (physical closeness), similarity (shared characteristics), opportunity for repeated contact

Play types

structured play (adult -led activities), free play (child-selected activities), solitary, parallel, associative, cooperative play

Play preferences

dyadic play (one-on-one interaction), group play (three or more children), gender differences in preferences

Developmental benefits of play in development

cognitive: problem-solving, creativity; social: turn-talking, cooperation; emotional: expression, regulation; physical: motor skill development

Aggression Types

Hostile vs. instrumental, proactive vs. reactive, targeted vs. untargeted

Developmental patterns of aggressive behavior

peaks at ages 2-3, typically decreases with self-regulation, persistent in some children

Influencing factors of aggressive behavior

family dynamics and modeling, media exposure, peer relationships, temperament

Instrumental (Proactive) Aggression

goal-directed aggression used as a means to an end

ex. a child pushes another off the swing to use it themselves

Hostile (Reactive) Aggression

Impulsive, emotion-driven aggression aimed at hurting someone

ex. a teenager punches a peer after being insulted

Physical Aggression

harming others throuhg physical force

ex. hitting, kicking, biting

Verbal Aggression

using words to hurt others

ex. insults, threats, name-calling

Relational (Social) Aggression

damaging someone's social relationships or reputation

ex. spreading rumors, excluding others

Direct Aggression

open and obvious aggression

ex. confronting some one face-to-face with insults or violence

Indirect Aggression

concealed or hidden aggression

ex. sabotaging someone's work, anonymous gossip

Approach-avoidance model

approach motivation: desire to interact; avoidance motivation: fear of negative evaluation

Withdrawl types

Introversion: preference for solitude (low approach); avoidance: withdrawl due to rejection; shyness: desire to interact but fearful (high approach, high avoidance)

Shyness factors

biological components (heart rate, cortisol); family influences (parental anxiety); perception of social threats

Prosocial characteristics

helping, sharing, cooperation, kindness and concern for others, inviting and including others

Contributing factors to prosocial behavior

self-regulation skills, empathy development, parental modeling, temperament influences

Developmental outcomes of prosocial behavior

friendship formation, academic achievement, emotional well-being, social acceptance

Media consumption trends

increased from ~2 to ~3.5 hours daily (2011-2021), diversified across platforms, younger technology adoption

Potential effects of media exposure on development

langauge development impacts, congitive stimulation or inhibition, behavioral modeling