Social-Emotional Development: Notes from Lecture

Development and Learning: Social-Emotional Development Across the Lifespan

Learning Targets

  • LT 3.6-1: Explain how caregiver-infant attachment bonds form.

  • LT 3.6-2: Explain how psychologists have studied attachment differences and synthesize findings.

  • LT 3.6-3: Explain how adversity affects children’s social development.

  • LT 3.6-4: Explain the onset and development of children’s self-concepts.

  • LT 3.6-5: Explain the differences among the four parenting styles.

LT 3.6-1: Caregiver-Infant Attachment Bonds

  • Ecological Systems Theory:

    • Emphasizes the influence of the social environment on human development through five interconnected systems:

    • Microsystem: Immediate environment (family, school).

    • Mesosystem: Interactions between microsystems.

    • Exosystem: External environments affecting microsystems (parent workplace).

    • Macrosystem: Cultural values, laws.

    • Chronosystem: Time-related changes in the individual or environment.

  • Stranger Anxiety:

    • Fear of unfamiliar people, beginning around 8 months.

    • Related Concepts:

    • Object Permanence: Understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

    • Separation Anxiety: Distress experienced when separated from a primary caregiver.

  • Attachment:

    • Emotional bond between an infant and caregiver, characterized by seeking closeness and showing distress upon separation.

    • Harry Harlow’s Studies:

    • Demonstrated the importance of contact comfort in monkey infants, preferring soft cloth mothers over wire ones that provided food.

  • Imprinting:

    • Observed in some animals (e.g., ducks) where strong attachments form during a critical period post-birth.

  • Human Attachment:

    • Requires secure attachment formed within sensitive developmental periods to promote healthy emotional and social growth.

LT 3.6-2: Attachment Differences

  • Ainsworth’s Strange Situation Study:

    • Procedure assessing child-caregiver attachment by observing reactions to separation and reunion in an unfamiliar environment.

    • Secure Attachment: Children comfortably explore environments when a caregiver is present and show temporary distress when they leave.

    • Insecure Attachment: Includes:

    • Anxious/Clinging: Resists exploration and shows high distress upon separation.

    • Avoidant: Shows indifference to caregiver’s presence and absence.

    • Disorganized: Lacks a coherent strategy for attachment.

  • Temperament:

    • Individual differences in emotional reactivity and intensity, which may influence attachment and social development.

  • Erik Erikson's Theory:

    • Basic trust forms during infancy through responsive caregiving, promoting a belief in a predictable world.

  • Parent Involvement:

    • Dual parenting is associated with benefits like improved emotional stability and better educational outcomes.

LT 3.6-3: Effects of Adversity on Child Development

  • Deprivation of Attachment:

    • Neglectful environments result in withdrawn and fearful behaviors in children.

    • Orphanages in Romania:

    • Children in understaffed institutions show lower IQs, abnormal stress responses, and increased ADHD diagnoses.

  • Trauma and Resilience:

    • Secure attachments may foster resilience despite adverse experiences, while abusive environments correlate with an increased likelihood of perpetuating that behavior later in life.

  • Impact of Abuse:

    • Detrimental effects on brain development, increased sensitivity to stress and fear, and potential links to criminal behavior and substance abuse in adulthood.

LT 3.6-4: Development of Self-Concept

  • Self-Concept Definition:

    • Awareness of oneself and one’s identity as a distinct individual, typically developed by age 12.

  • Developmental Milestones:

    • By 18 months, children can recognize self in a mirror, indicating early self-awareness.

    • School-age self-concepts encompass gender identity, group memberships, and individual traits.

LT 3.6-5: Parenting Styles and Self-Concept

  • Diana Baumrind's Parenting Styles:

    • Authoritarian: High demands, low responsiveness; strict rules without explanation.

    • Permissive: Low demands, high responsiveness; few rules and little control.

    • Neglectful: Low involvement; neither demanding nor responsive.

    • Authoritative: Balanced approach; high demands with high responsiveness, promoting open communication and empathy.

  • Cultural Impact on Parenting:

    • Parenting style effectiveness may vary across cultures, with collectivist societies favoring different approaches compared to individualistic ones.

Practice Questions

  • Conceptual Examination:

    • Differentiate between imprinting and attachment.

    • Reflect on how personal upbringing has shaped attachment style.

    • Consider historical and contemporary parenting mistakes and potential improvements.