This document discusses social and emotional development in infants and young children. It covers how emotional development allows adults to express themselves, handle stress, and show empathy. Social development allows adults to interact peacefully and respect others. The document outlines stages of emotional and social development from infancy through age 12 months. Key factors that influence development include how a baby's needs are met and the emotional climate of their home.

1. Social and Emotional
Development
Interaction, Expression and Individuality

2.  The process of learning to recognize
and express your emotions, as well as
establish identity and individuality.
 Allows adult to display self-
confidence, handle stress, and display
empathy.
Emotional Development

3.  The process of learning to interact with
others, and express yourself to others.
 Allows adults to display tolerance for
others, and can interact peacefully. Good
listener, respectful ect.
Social Development

4.  Signs of emotional development in babies
 How a baby’s care affects emotional
development
 How emotions change during infancy
What We Need to Know:

5.  A child’s behaviour and actions towards
others is closely tied to their emotions
and self-concept.
 Babies bring their own experiences and
individuality to any situations which
dictates how they act/react.
 Maturity dictates how they will react
emotionally.
Key Concepts:

6.  The attitudes newborns develop towards
the world depend on how their needs are
being met!
 Needs Met = Security
 Neglect = Anxiety and Insecurity
 Affect the ability to build trust both as a
baby, and as an adult.
Building Trust

7.  The atmosphere of the home and type of
care are key in emotional stability.
 Harmony, security, affection.
 Feelings are contagious, and babies
can pick up on this
 Distrust, if continual, can interfere with
development.
Emotional Climate

8.  Crying
◦ Emotional:
Distress, anger, disgust, fear, boredom, attenti
on
◦ Physical:
hunger, thirst, bottle, burp, diaper, temperature
, illness.
◦ Physical and Emotional are equally important.
First Emotions

9. Comforting

10.  Closeness and cuddling
 New position
 Talk softly or sing
 Rocking, new movement
 Distraction, toys or object
 Rubbing their back
 Pacifier
Other Suggestions?

11.  If a baby’s needs are consistently
met, they will develop self-comforting
methods
 Thumb sucking, pacifier, security blanket
or toy.
 8-9 months
Self-Comforting

12.  Babies will gradually develop
emotions, just as adults continue to
experience more complex ones.
 2 Months – smiling and delight
 4-5 Months – anger, disagree, disgust
 6 Months - fear
 7-8 Months – elation or high spirits
 9 Months – affection (for caregivers)
Emotional Complexity

13.  First Days – response to voices. Tone of voice
affect emotional response.
 1 – Stops crying when lifted or touched.
Takes delight in familiar faces.
 2 – Smiling, eyes follow objects, enjoy
watching people.
 3 – Turning head, seek companionship and
care.
Stages of Social Development

14.  4 – Babies laugh out loud and look to others
for entertainment.
 5 – Interest in other family, cry when left
alone, babbling to people/objects
 6 – Love company, and game playing
7 – Prefer parents over
other family and strangers.
Stages

15.  8 – Prefer to be around others, can move
from room to room on their own.
 9/10 – Socially involved, following
people, and getting in the way. Often want to
be chased and play the “dropping game”
 11 - Friendly, and sensitive to others’
emotions. Know how to influence
emotions, and be centre of attention.
 12 – Tolerant of strangers, playful.
Stages

17.  A strong bond between two people.
 Babies learn this around 6 months.
 First emotional relationship.
 Babies can experience loneliness.
Attachment

18.  If loneliness persists, babies may
experience:
◦ Failure to respond to people and objects
◦ Emotional, physical, social withdrawal
◦ Slowed growth and dev.
◦ Become unattached
◦ Inability to develop caring or meaningful
relationships later on.
Failure to Thrive

19.  Babies learn social behaviours through
interaction and consistency
 Caregivers must act and react consistently to
baby’s needs
 Daily routine and clues.
 Promoting positive and discouraging negative
behaviour.
Learned Behaviour

20.  Total of all the character traits
 Traits which are consistent in an
individual’s behaviour
 Encouraged through social/emotional dev.
 Varying degrees of each trait.
Personality

21.  Sensitive – unusually aware of their
surroundings and changes.
(fussy, irritable, need reassurance)
 Aggressive – strong willed and
determined. (eat lots, cry loudly, physical)
 Placid – very accepting of surroundings.
(“easy” personality, calm, cheerful)
Traits