CHAPTER 4 Socioemotional Development in Infancy

Differential Emotions Theory Emotional expressions reflect both emotional experiences and help the regulation of emotions themselves Stranger anxiety Caution & wariness shown by infants when encountering someone unfamiliar Separation anxiety Distress infants display when the usual caregiver leaves Social Smile Smiling in reference to other persons

Emotional expressions reflect both emotional experiences and help the regulation of emotions themselves

Stranger anxiety

Caution & wariness shown by infants when encountering someone unfamiliar

Separation anxiety

Distress infants display when the usual caregiver leaves

Social Smile

Smiling in reference to other persons

3 Types of Crys Basic cry Starts softly, then gradually becomes more intense & usually occurs when a baby is hungry or tired Mad cry More intense version of basic cry Pain cry Begins w/sudden, long burst of crying, followed by a long pause, & gasping Determine why baby is crying: hunger, wet, physical discomfort If crying persists, physical contact can help; pick up to shoulder & rock and walk Being upright, restrained, & in physical contact helps calm babies Swaddling is also helpful

Basic cry

Starts softly, then gradually becomes more intense & usually occurs when a baby is hungry or tired

Mad cry

More intense version of basic cry

Pain cry

Begins w/sudden, long burst of crying, followed by a long pause, & gasping

Determine why baby is crying: hunger, wet, physical discomfort

If crying persists, physical contact can help; pick up to shoulder & rock and walk

Being upright, restrained, & in physical contact helps calm babies

Swaddling is also helpful

Experiencing Others’ Feelings Social Referencing Looking to the emotional responses of caregivers or other adults when in an unfamiliar setting for cues to interpret the situation Search others’ facial expressions & imitates it Occurs in ambiguous or uncertain situations

Social Referencing

Looking to the emotional responses of caregivers or other adults when in an unfamiliar setting for cues to interpret the situation

Search others’ facial expressions & imitates it

Occurs in ambiguous or uncertain situations

Recognizing & Using Other’s Emotions Infants Recognize Others’ Emotions by 4 Months By 6 months can distinguish facial expression associated with particular emotions Infants often match their own emotions to other people’s emotions

Infants Recognize Others’ Emotions by 4 Months

By 6 months can distinguish facial expression associated with particular emotions

Infants often match their own emotions to other people’s emotions

Temperament Consistent style or pattern of behavior 3 Primary Dimensions Emotionality The strength of an infant’s emotional response to a situation, the ease w/which it is triggered, & the ease with which the infant returns to a nonemotional state Activity The tempo & vigor of a child’s activity Sociability A preference for being with other people

Consistent style or pattern of behavior

3 Primary Dimensions

Emotionality

The strength of an infant’s emotional response to a situation, the ease w/which it is triggered, & the ease with which the infant returns to a nonemotional state

Activity

The tempo & vigor of a child’s activity

Sociability

A preference for being with other people

Hereditary & Environmental Contributions to Temperament Recent research sees morphological connection: Infants & toddlers w/narrower faces are upset by novel stimulation Often they become shy preschoolers Brain & facial skeleton originate in the same set of cells in prenatal development Genes influence levels of hormones that affect both facial growth & temperament Environment also contributes to temperament Positive emotional experiences produce a generally happy child

Recent research sees morphological connection:

Infants & toddlers w/narrower faces are upset by novel stimulation

Often they become shy preschoolers

Brain & facial skeleton originate in the same set of cells in prenatal development

Genes influence levels of hormones that affect both facial growth & temperament

Environment also contributes to temperament

Positive emotional experiences produce a generally happy child

Stability of Temperament Temperament somewhat stable in infancy & toddler Active fetus likely to be active infant & likely to be difficult, unadaptive infant Some infants predisposed to be sociable, emotional, or active Others act this way due to parental influences Infant’s temperament may determine parental experiences

Temperament somewhat stable in infancy & toddler

Active fetus likely to be active infant & likely to be difficult, unadaptive infant

Some infants predisposed to be sociable, emotional, or active

Others act this way due to parental influences

Infant’s temperament may determine parental experiences

Categorizing Temperament Easy Babies Positive disposition & adaptable Difficult Babies Negative moods & slow to adapt Slow-to-warm Babies Inactive & relatively calm in their reactions to the environment & slow to adapt Moods are generally negative & withdraws from new situations Shy Babies Withdraws from social situations & is anxious in new situations Importance of Temperament Some temperaments are more adaptive than others Some temperaments are weakly related to attachment Cultural differences have a major influence on certain temperaments Biological Basis of Temperament Temperament excites the limbic system, especially the amygdala

Easy Babies

Positive disposition & adaptable

Difficult Babies

Negative moods & slow to adapt

Slow-to-warm Babies

Inactive & relatively calm in their reactions to the environment & slow to adapt

Moods are generally negative & withdraws from new situations

Shy Babies

Withdraws from social situations & is anxious in new situations

Importance of Temperament

Some temperaments are more adaptive than others

Some temperaments are weakly related to attachment

Cultural differences have a major influence on certain temperaments

Biological Basis of Temperament

Temperament excites the limbic system, especially the amygdala

Development of the Self Self-Awareness Knowledge of oneself Begins around 12 months Culture affects self-recognition Theory of Mind Knowledge & beliefs of how the mind works & how it influences behavior Capacity to understand another’s intentions grows during infancy Empathy Experiencing another’s feelings

Self-Awareness

Knowledge of oneself

Begins around 12 months

Culture affects self-recognition

Theory of Mind

Knowledge & beliefs of how the mind works & how it influences behavior

Capacity to understand another’s intentions grows during infancy

Empathy

Experiencing another’s feelings

Growth of Attachment 4 Types of Attachment: Secure Attachment - Baby may or may not cry when mother leaves, but when she returns, baby wants to be with her & if crying, he stops Avoidant Attachment - Baby is not upset when mother leaves, when she returns, may ignore by looking or turning away Ambivalent Attachment - Baby is upset when mother leaves & remains upset or even angry when she returns, & is difficult to console Disorganized (Disoriented) Attachment - Baby seems confused when the mother leaves & when she returns, as if not really understanding what’s happening

4 Types of Attachment:

Secure Attachment -

Baby may or may not cry when mother leaves, but when she returns, baby wants to be with her & if crying, he stops

Avoidant Attachment -

Baby is not upset when mother leaves, when she returns, may ignore by looking or turning away

Ambivalent Attachment -

Baby is upset when mother leaves & remains upset or even angry when she returns, & is difficult to console

Disorganized (Disoriented) Attachment -

Baby seems confused when the mother leaves & when she returns, as if not really understanding what’s happening

Trust & Attachment Erikson’s Psychosocial Development Basic Trust vs Mistrust (Birth – 1 year) Sense of trust in oneself & others is foundation of human development With proper balance of trust & mistrust, infants acquire hope Openness to new experience tempered by wariness that discomfort & danger may arise

Erikson’s Psychosocial Development

Basic Trust vs Mistrust (Birth – 1 year)

Sense of trust in oneself & others is foundation of human development

With proper balance of trust & mistrust, infants acquire hope

Openness to new experience tempered by wariness that discomfort & danger may arise

Trust & Attachment Autonomy vs Shame & Doubt (1 to 3 years) Child begins to understand he can control his own actions Begins to strive for autonomy (independence) from others Autonomy counteracted by doubt about ability to handle demanding situations that may result in failure Blend of autonomy, shame, & doubt produces will Knowledge that, within limits, he can act on his world intentionally Initiative vs Guilt (3 – 5 years) Begins identification w/adults & parents Play begins to have a purpose as children explore adult roles Begins to ask questions re: the world & look at possibilities for himself Initiative moderated by guild as child realizes initiative may place him in conflict w/others & can’t pursue goals without considering others Realizes a sense of purpose balance between individual initiative & willingness to cooperate w/others

Autonomy vs Shame & Doubt (1 to 3 years)

Child begins to understand he can control his own actions

Begins to strive for autonomy (independence) from others

Autonomy counteracted by doubt about ability to handle demanding situations that may result in failure

Blend of autonomy, shame, & doubt produces will

Knowledge that, within limits, he can act on his world intentionally

Initiative vs Guilt (3 – 5 years)

Begins identification w/adults & parents

Play begins to have a purpose as children explore adult roles

Begins to ask questions re: the world & look at possibilities for himself

Initiative moderated by guild as child realizes initiative may place him in conflict w/others & can’t pursue goals without considering others

Realizes a sense of purpose

balance between individual initiative & willingness to cooperate w/others

Vygotsky’s Theory Zone of Proximal Development Difference between what a child can do with assistance & what he does alone Cognition develops first in a social setting & gradually comes under the child’s independent control Scaffolding Teaching style in which adults adjust the amount of assistance they offer, based on the learner’s needs Early in learning a new task much assistance is needed Defining characteristic of scaffolding: Giving help but not more than is needed

Zone of Proximal Development

Difference between what a child can do with assistance & what he does alone

Cognition develops first in a social setting & gradually comes under the child’s independent control

Scaffolding

Teaching style in which adults adjust the amount of assistance they offer, based on the learner’s needs

Early in learning a new task much assistance is needed

Defining characteristic of scaffolding: Giving help but not more than is needed

Reciprocal Socialization Bidirectional socialization where children socialize parents, just as parents socialize children Scaffolding occurs in the parent’s interactions with their children

Bidirectional socialization where children socialize parents, just as parents socialize children

Scaffolding occurs in the parent’s interactions with their children

Gender Roles & Gender Identity Images of Men & Women Gender stereotyping: Beliefs & images about males & females that may or may not be true By elementary school gender stereotypes are learned

Images of Men & Women

Gender stereotyping:

Beliefs & images about males & females that may or may not be true

By elementary school gender stereotypes are learned

Variations in Childcare Many children have multiple caregivers Parental Leave Maternity, Paternity, Parental, Child rearing, & Family Patterns of Use Socioeconomic factors are linked to the amount & type of childcare Quality of Care Group size, child-adult ratio, environment, caregiver experience & behavior Amount of Child Care Family & Parenting Influences

Many children have multiple caregivers

Parental Leave

Maternity, Paternity, Parental, Child rearing, & Family

Patterns of Use

Socioeconomic factors are linked to the amount & type of childcare

Quality of Care

Group size, child-adult ratio, environment, caregiver experience & behavior

Amount of Child Care

Family & Parenting Influences