PSYC24 Term Test #1: Lecture 4

Emotional regulation

An individual’s ability to regulate/control their emotions

• Lifelong psychosocial task, with rapid development occurring between the AGES OF 2 AND 6

• Wide range of feelings without emoetional experienced by MOST CHILDREN BY AGE 6

• Emotional regulation is influenced by peers, parents, and experience

Emotional development: Delayed gratification

• Difficult for younger children (e.g. the Marshmallow Test

  • Examined self-control and reflected their beliefs about the stability of the world

  • CONCLUSION: Emotional regulation is the product of experience, not just maturation

Intrinsic motivation

Motivation that comes from within

• Drive, or reason, to pursue a goal comes from inside a person

• Seen when children invent imaginary friends

Extrinstic motivation

Motivation that comes from culture

• Drive, or reason, to pursue a goal arises from the need to have achievements rewarded from outside

Emotional development: Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

Initiative vs. Guilt

• Erikson’s 3rd psychosocial crisis

• Children undertake new skills and activities (display initiative) and feel guilty when they do not succeed at them, and pride when they do succeed at them

Emotional development: Protective optimism

Positiveity bias that helps a child try new things

• Begins around age 3

Emotional development: Self-concept

Person’s undestanding of who they are, in moratality, intelligence, appearance, talents, and skills

• Protects child from guilt and shame and encourages learning

• Developmental shift occurs at the age of 7

Emotional development: Neurological advances

• About age 4 or 5: Growth of prefrontal cortex

• Myelination of the limbic system, growth of the prefrontal cortex and a longer attention span

• Emotional regulation and cognitive maturation DEVELOP TOGETHER

Development of emotions timeline

• Within 1st year after birth: Basic emotions

• Within 2nd year after birth: Complex emotions

• By age 4 and 5: Improved capacity for emotional control (becomes evident)

• Stronger social awareness and self-concept

• Adult-child engagement in dynamic regulation and deregulation

How parents differ in terms of caregiving

• Expressions of warmth

• Strategies for discipline

• Expectations for maturity

Baumrind’s Parenting Styles

• Authoritarian parenting

• Permissive parenting

• Authoritative parenting

Neglectful/Uninvolved parenting

Parents are indifferent toward their children and unaware of what is going on in their children’s lives

• “Leave me alone.”

Authoritarian parenting

• WARMTH: Low

• DISCIPLINE: Strict, often physical

• EXPECTATIONS OF MATURITY: High

• COMMUNICATION - PARENT TO CHILD: High

• COMMUNICATION - CHILD TO PARENT: Low

• “Because I said so.”

Permissive parenting

• WARMTH: High

• DISCIPLINE: Rare

• EXPECTATIONS OF MATURITY: Low

• COMMUNICATION - PARENT TO CHILD: Low

• COMMUNICATION - CHILD TO PARENT: High

• “Whatever you want.”

  • Parent is seems more like a friend to the child

Authoritative parenting

• WARMTH: High

• DISCIPLINE: Moderate, with much discussion

• EXPECTATIONS OF MATURITY: Moderate

• COMMUNICATION - PARENT TO CHILD: High

• COMMUNICATION - CHILD TO PARENT: High

• “Let’s discuss this.”

Long-term effect of parenting styles: Children of authoritarian parents

• CHILDREN:

  • Conscientous

  • Obedient

  • Quiet

  • Not happy

  • Guilt, depressed, self-blame

• ADOLESCENTS:

  • Rebel against parents

  • Leave home before age of 20 (EARLIER)

• ADULTS:

  • Quick to blame and punish others (similar to how they were punished as children)

Long-term effect of parenting styles: Children of permissive parents

• CHILDREN:

  • Unhappy

  • Lack self-control (due to low expectations set by parents)

    • Causes difficulties in developing peer relations

  • Inadequate emotional regulation

    • Can lead to them being immature

• ADULTS:

  • Likely to live at home and be dependent on their parents

Long-term effect of parenting styles: Children of authoritative parents

• Successful

• Happy

• Generous to other people

• Well liked by teachers and peers

• Able to have individual initiative

Long-term effect of parenting styles: Children of neglectful/uninvolved parents

• Immature

• Sad and lonely

• Risk of injury and abuse

Discipline: Physical punishment

Children who are NOT spanked, are more likely to DEVELOP EMOTIONAL REGULATION

• Physical punishment trends in the United States:

  • More often used on younger children, rather than older children or infants

  • More frequently used by mothers than fathers and in low-SES families

  • More frequent among conservative Christians, African-Americans, U.S.-born Hispanics

Discipline: Psychological Control

Uses children’s shame, guilt, and gratitude to control their behavior

• Linked with LOWER math scores and NEGATIVE emotions

Discipline: Time-Out

Misbehaving child is required to sit quietly, without toys or playmates, for a short time

• Calm adult; one minute per child’s age

Discipline: Induction

Parents discuss the infraction with their child to encourage realization of why the behavior is wrong

Teaching right and wrong: Empathy

Understanding the emotions and concerns of another person, especially when they differ from one’s own

Teaching right and wrong: Prosocial Behavior

Extending helpfulness and kindness WITHOUT ANY OBVIOUS BENEFIT TO ONESELF

• INCREASES from age 3 to 6

Teaching right and wrong: Antipathy

Feelings of dislike or even hatred for another person; influenced by experience and culture

• May lead to antisocial behavior

Teaching right and wrong: Antisocial behavior

Deliberately hurting another person, including people who have done harm to them

Aggression: Instrumental aggression

Hurtful behaviour that is aimed at gaining something (such as a toy, a place in line, or a turn on the swing) that someone else has

• Often INCREASES from age 2 to 6

• Involves objects MORE THAN people

• Quite normal

• More egocentric than antisocial

Aggression: Reactive aggression

An impulsive retaliation for a hurt (intentional or accidental) that can be verbal or physical

• Indicates a lack of emotional regulation (characteristics of 2 YEAR OLDS)

  • A 5 year old can USUALLY STOP AND THINK BEFORE REACTING

Aggression: Relational aggression

Nonphysical acts, such as insults or social rejection, aimed at harming the social connections between the victim and others

• Involves a personal attack (thus directly antisocial)

• Can be very hurtful

• More common as children become socially aware

Aggression: Bullying aggression

Unprovoked, repeated physical or verbal attack, especially on victims who are unlikely to defend themselves

• In BOTH BULLIES AND VICTIMS, a sign of poor emotional regulation; adults should intervene before the school years