Social Development in Early Childhood

human social development

6-7 weeks = social smile

8-9 weeks = babies start to make noises with communication in mind (open vowel sounds, conversational turns)

6-9 months = babies start to discriminate between different people - caregivers and non caregivers

9 months = babies become clingy to the person who’s giving them the most care

12-15 months = first words

social development milestones: 0 to 3 months

• looks at faces

• listens to voices

• quiets when picked up

• cries, smiles, and coos

red flags in social development

• doesn’t show interest in others

• doesn’t imitate others

• has difficulty responding to other’s emotions

• constant tantrums

• distractibility

• impulsivity

key dimensions in emotional development

• psychophysiological correlates = autonomous nervous system

• subjective experience = interpretation

• expression = action

• understanding = the meaning of emotions in ourselves and other people

• regulation = coping

Erikson’s Stages of Development —- Infant - 18 months

trust (sense of security) vs. mistrust (neglectful caregiving)

virtue developed = hope

Erikson’s Stages of Development —- 18 months - 3 years

autonomy (independence, freedom to explore) vs. shame/doubt (controlling caregivers)

virtue developed = will

Erikson’s Stages of Development —- 3 - 5 years

initiative (control over their environment through play and social interactions) vs. guilt (failure to do so)

virtue developed = purpose

Erikson’s Stages of Development —- 5 - 13 years

industry (being productive, mastering new skills) vs. inferiority (feeling not enough)

virtue developed = competency

Erikson’s Stages of Development —- 13 - 21 years

identity vs. confusion

virtue developed = fidelity

Erikson’s Stages of Development —- 21 - 39 years

intimacy vs. isolation

virtue developed = love

Erikson’s Stages of Development —- 40 - 65 years

generativity (making a positive impact and contributing to the world) vs. stagnation (feeling a lack of purpose)

virtue developed = care

Erikson’s Stages of Development —- 65 and older

integrity (accepting life with a sense of fulfillment) vs. despair (regret, sense of wasted time)

virtue developed = wisdom

What is moral reasoning?

the ways people think about right and wrong

What is perspective taking?

the ability to understand the psychological perspective, motives, and needs of others

Kohlberg’s Levels and Stages of Moral Reasoning - Level 1

• pre conventional

• ages 3-7

• based on reward and punishment

• self-interest

• avoiding punishment

Kohlberg’s Levels and Stages of Moral Reasoning - Level 2

• conventional

• ages 8-13

• based on external ethics

• good boy attitude

• law and order morality

Kohlberg’s Levels and Stages of Moral Reasoning - Level 3

• post-conventional

• adulthood

• based on personal ethics

• social contract

• principle

What is prosocial reasoning?

children’s thought process about helping others; specifically their reasons for deciding whether to help another person

What is moral affect?

the emotional responses and feelings associated with morality; shame, guilt, empathy

What is inductive parenting?

tells children how they should behave, promotes the development of empathy and sympathy by encouraging children to take the other person’s perspective

Types of empathy

• global empathy (birth to 1 year)

• egocentric empathy (1 to 2 or 3 years)

• empathy for another’s feelings (pre-school and elementary school years)

• empathy for another’s life conditions (late childhood/early adolescence to adulthood)

What is altruism?

the unselfish concern for other people—doing things simply out of a desire to help, not because you feel obligated to do so

What are the 6 stages of play?

• unoccupied play

• solitary play

• spectators behavior

• parallel play

• associate play

• cooperative play

Stages of Play — Unoccupied Play

• 0-3 months

• baby is learning about and discovering how their body moves

Stages of Play — Solitary Play

• 0-2 years

• child plays alone and is not interested in playing with others yet

Stages of Play — Spectator Behavior

• 2 years

• child watches and observes other children playing but will not play with them

Stages of Play — Parallel Play

• 2+ years

• child plays alongside or near to others but does not play with them

Stages of Play — Associate Play

• 3-4 years

• child starts to interact with others during play, but there is not much cooperation required

Stages of Play — Cooperative Play

• 4+ years

• child plays with others and has interest in both the activity and other children involved in playing

What is empathy?

understanding another person’s emotion and feeling the same or similar emotion