Emotional Development and Attachment

These flashcards cover key concepts related to emotional development, attachment theories, and temperament, essential for understanding child psychology.

Attachment

Strong emotional bond between infant and caregiver.

Bidirectional Interaction

A two-way communication between caregiver and infant that influences emotional development.

Dyadic Synchrony

The timing and coordination of caregiving behaviors between parent and infant.

Learning Theory

A theory suggesting attachment is formed through learned behaviors and reinforcements.

Primary Reinforcers

Basic needs or rewards that satisfy fundamental biological requirements.

Cognitive Developmental Theory

Focuses on how cognitive processes develop in children and influence attachment.

Object Permanence

Understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be perceived.

Ethological Theory

John Bowlby's framework emphasizing the innate biological basis of attachment.

Separation Anxiety

Distress displayed by an infant when separated from their caregiver.

Stranger Anxiety

An infant's fear of strangers typically emerging in the first year of life.

Exploratory Behavior

The actions of an infant to investigate their environment, often facilitated by secure attachment.

Ainsworth's Strange Situation

A structured observational study measuring attachment behavior in infants.

Secure Attachment

Attachment style where infants actively seek proximity and comfort from the caregiver.

Avoidant Attachment

Attachment style characterized by infants who are indifferent or avoidant of the caregiver.

Resistant Attachment

Attachment style marked by negative responses, such as anger, upon reunion with the caregiver.

Disorganized Attachment

A less common attachment style associated with confusion and insecurity in response to the caregiver.

Parenting Styles

Different approaches that caregivers use to interact with and raise their children.

Family Circumstances

Social and environmental factors that influence a child's emotional development.

Temperament

Stable individual characteristics that influence how one reacts emotionally to the environment.

Cognitive Abilities

Mental skills that are crucial for acquiring knowledge and processing information.

Basic Emotions

Primary emotions present at birth: interest, distress, contentment, anger, sadness, joy, surprise, and fear.

Self-conscious Emotions

Complex emotions like embarrassment, shame, and guilt that emerge in the second year.

Biological Approach to Emotions

The perspective that suggests emotional responses are innate and biologically based.

Functionist Approach

The view that emotions serve specific functions, such as survival and social adaptation.

Emotional Contagion

The ability of individuals, especially newborns, to mimic or sense the emotions of others.

Temperamental Traits

Specific characteristics that define an individual's emotional response style.

Model of Temperament

Chess & Thomas' classification of children based on their activity level and emotional reactions.