psyc 100 - Social Development

Social develoment results from the interaction between

• The environment and the child

• Physiological development (biological maturation)

• The child’s development of sense of self and social world

Attachement

A strong bond that develops between children and their caregivers

Harlow Research

Found that monkeys preferred and artificial mom covered in a soft cloth without a feeding bottle Vs. A wire cylinder with a feeding bottle

Shows that nourishment is not everything

Critical Period

Time period during development when certain experiences are essential for normal development to occur

Sensitive Period

Time period when the brain is more receptive to certain experiences

Bowlby’s Theory of Attachment

Infants form strong bonds with caregivers to increase survival. Early attachments shape future relationships and emotional development

Attachment Behavioural System

Continuously monitors for the presence of the primary caregiver

When do we develop the first meaningful attachment to primary caregivers?

7-8 months

Ainsworth

Created the strange-situation test

What does the strange-situation test measure?

Attachment in human infants to caregivers

How is the strange-situation test conducted?

1. Infant and caregiver are brought to a strange room with a stranger present who does not interact with the infant

2. The caregiver leaves the room and then returns, with the infant’s reaction being monitored

Secure Attachment

Child is distressed when the caregiver leaves the room and is totally fine when they return

Insecure - Avoidant Attachment

Child ignores the caregiver and is not upset when they leave, do not seek contact with parent

Insecure - Anxious Attachment

Child is in distress when caregiver is gone, and is unable to be comforted when they return

Disorganized Attachment

Child is confused or has mixed responses to their caregiver (could come from inconsistency in comfort vs. abuse from the caregiver)

Attachment Patterns

The ways individuals behave in close relationships, related to early childhood experiences

Secure

Comfortable with intimacy, trusts a partner, close relationships

Anxious-preoccupied

Fear of abandonment, excessive seek for validation, clingy/dependent

Dismissive-avoidant

Too independent, fear of intimacy, pushes partner away

Fearful-avoidant

Fear of both intimacy and rejection

Hazan and Shaver Study

Responses to statements about attachment through a “love quiz”

Uninvolved/Neglectful Parenting Style

Permissive (Low control), Hostile (Low Warmth)

Permissive/Indulgent Parenting Style

Permissive (Low control), Warm

Authoritarian Parenting Style

Restrictive (High control), Hostile (Low warmth)

Authoritative

Restrictive (High control), Warm

Goodness of Fit

How well a child’s temperament matches their environment and caregiver response

Baumrind

Describes four general styles of parenting that vary on two-dimensions: warmth (love and affection) and control (discipline and expectations)

Family Stress Model

Economic or life stress affects parental well-being, which then impacts parenting quality and child development.

Social Referencing

We checking other people’s emotional expressions (to see how we should be responding)

Intrapersonal

Roles that emotions play within us

Interpersonal

Role emotions play between individuals

Emotional self-regulation

The process where individuals learn to initiate, modulate, and/or suppress their emotional states

The Cliff Study

The baby is observing the mother’s facial expressions and deciding if it’s safe to go along the fake cliff

Fear = baby will stay away from cliff

Anger = 6% of babies approached cliff

Sad = 33% of babies approached cliff

Joyful = 75% of babies approached cliff

Physiological Arousal

Changes in heart rate in response to social connection