Chapter 6 Psychosocial Development during the First Three Years

Emotions

Subjective reactions to experience, associated with physiological and behavioral changes.

Crying

The most powerful way infants can communicate their needs, with four distinct patterns of crying.

Basic hunger cry

A rhythmic cry not exclusively linked with hunger.

Angry cry

A variation of rhythmic crying involving excess air through the vocal cords.

Pain cry

A sudden loud cry without preliminary moaning, sometimes followed by breath-holding.

Frustration cry

Two or three drawn-out cries with no prolonged breath-holding.

Social smiling

Smiling at parents after the 2nd month as a sign of positive engagement.

Anticipatory smiling

Smiling at an object and then looking at an adult while still smiling.

Self-conscious emotions

Emotions like embarrassment and guilt that depend on self-awareness.

Self-awareness

Realization of oneself as distinct from others.

Self-evaluative emotions

Emotions such as pride and shame, tied to socially accepted standards.

Empathy

Ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

Mirror neurons

Neurons that activate during one's own actions or when observing others.

Social cognition

Understanding others' mental states and predicting their feelings.

Temperament

Biologically-based tendencies to respond predictably to the environment.

Easy Child

Kind of child with mild moods, adapting well to change and new experiences.

Difficult Child

Child with intense negative moods, poor adaptability, and irregular routines.

Slow-to-Warm-Up Child

Child who reacts mildly both positively and negatively, adapting slowly to change.

Goodness of fit

The compatibility between a child's temperament and their environment.

Attachment

A reciprocal emotional bond formed between an infant and caregiver.

Secure attachment

Attachment style where the infant seeks out the caregiver after separation.

Avoidant attachment

Attachment style where the infant avoids contact with the caregiver after separation.

Ambivalent attachment

Anxious attachment style; the infant shows anxiety before separation.

Disorganized-disoriented attachment

Contradictory behaviors shown by an infant upon reunion with a caregiver.

Stranger anxiety

Infant's wariness of strange people or places typically appearing mid-first year.

Separation anxiety

Distress experienced by an infant when a familiar caregiver leaves.

Social referencing

Seeking another person's perception in ambiguous situations to understand them.

Self-concept

A descriptive and evaluative mental picture of one's abilities and traits.

Autonomy versus shame and doubt

Erikson's stage where children balance self-determination with external control.

Personal agency

The realization of control over external events.

Self-coherence

The sense of being a distinct physical whole separate from the world.

Socialization

Development of habits and values shared by members of a society.

Internalization

Process where children accept societal standards of conduct as their own.

Self-regulation

A child's ability to independently control behavior according to social expectations.

Conscience

Internal standards that influence behavior and cause emotional discomfort when violated.

Situational compliance

Obedience to a parent's orders only in the presence of parental control signs.

Committed compliance

Wholehearted obedience to a parent’s orders without reminders.

Receptive cooperation

Eager willingness to cooperate with a parent in daily activities.

Sibling relationships

Interactions with siblings that contribute to socialization and understanding of relationships.

Physical abuse

Deliberate actions that threaten bodily injury to another person.

Neglect

Failure to meet a dependent individual's basic needs.

Emotional maltreatment

Negative actions such as rejection and isolation that impair emotional health.

Nonorganic failure to thrive

Impaired physical growth with no known medical cause, linked to poor emotional functioning.

Shaken baby syndrome

Serious form of maltreatment causing brain damage through vigorous shaking.

Long-term effects of maltreatment

Consequences affecting physical, emotional, cognitive, and social well-being.

Psycho-social development

The development process concerning emotional and social capabilities in early life.