Chapter 9

Emotional and Social Development During the First Year

Understanding Emotional and Social Development

• Emotional Development – process of learning to recognize and express one’s identity as a unique person.– Child with healthy emotional development = a self

confident adult who can handle stress and shows empathy toward others

• Social Development – process of learning to interact with others and to express oneself to others– Healthy social development = adult who can

communicate well with others, listens to other points of view, is more tolerant of others

Emotional and Social Development

• They are connected to each other – the way a child feels about themselves affects how the react to others

• Emotional and Social Development begins at birth and continues throughout life

• Influences that shape these areas:– Bond formed between parent and child– Atmosphere of home– The temperament of the child

Attachment

• The bond between a parent or caregiver and a child– Formed out of basic need for physical contact:

holding, cuddling, rocking, feeding, playing, or proximity

– Touch is the first sense to be developed in the embryo – this is why it is known as “the mother of all senses.”

Imprinting

• Special form of attachment observed in swans, ducks, chickens and geese. – They walk within a short time of hatching, and by

instinct they follow the first moving object they see – usually, the parent bird.

– During a short period of time in geese after hatching they will imprint with anyone or thing they see.

Bonding Studies• At the University of Wisconsin, Dr. Harry Harlow did an experiment on bonding. He used

monkeys as his subjects. The monkeys were fed by an artificial wire monkey. However, there was a terrycloth monkey in the cage, too. Even though they got no food from the terrycloth monkey, they preferred it to the wire one. The conclusion was made that warmth and softness help in the bonding process.

• During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many children in orphanages died from a disease they called MARASMUS. This terms means, wasting away. When researching this situation, they found that the infants had plenty of food and medical care. The thing they lacked was having someone touch them. Because of this study, institutions today practice mothering children (picking up the baby, rocking the baby, carrying it around, etc.). At one hospital, the death rate for infants fell to below 10% (it had been 30-35%).

• Touch is also related to increasing a child's mental functioning, not just physical health.• (Information adapted from "Looking Out/Looking In", 3rd Edition, Holt, Rinehart, Winston,

Ronald B. Adler,Neil Towne, page 273.)

• Romania:• http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?

action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=6089477&m=6089478

Need for Love• A study of abused and neglected children who

failed to receive love, touch, and opportunities for learning had brains 20 to 30 percent smaller than average– Most likely to develop when physical needs are met

but babies receive no emotional or social care– Infants that get little attention and encouragement

from caregivers:• Cries weaken• Smiles fade• Become withdrawn

Failure to Thrive• Failure to thrive – condition in which baby does

not grow and develop properly– Without help they become unattached– As adults – unable to develop caring, meaningful

relationships with others– Can be helped by loving care takers

• Signs of growing attachment:– Babies who cry to communicate their needs gaze into

the eyes of caregivers and follow their movements– Snuggle, cuddle, and become comforted– Older babies make sounds when caregivers embrace

them and will crawl or walk to them

Building Trust through Care

• Attitude newborns develop about their world depends on how their needs are met.– Sense of security and comfortable world view• Newborn kept dry, fed, soothed when fussy, and talked

to when awake– Insecure and unfriendly world view – lack of trust• Newborn made to conform to a rigid schedule with no

comforting adult response to crying• Or inconsistent caregiver response

Emotional Climate of Home

• Moods are contagious• Ups and downs are normal– Babies adapt – Caring and affection should be rule not exception

• Couples need to learn to communicate frustrations – babies are life changing, not easy but worth it

• Single parents need to find support

Baby’s Own Temperament

• Babies’ means of coping with life are individual• Different response to similar situations are based

on baby’s temperament

9 Ways of looking at Temperament• Intensity – How strong or weak are a child’s emotional responses

to events or others– High - Deep and powerful response, very loud – Low - weak cry

• Persistence – how determined is a child to complete an action and desire to finish task– High - Very upset when can’t complete activity, difficulty accepting “no”– Low - easily persuaded to begin new activity and accepts no

• Sensitivity – How strong or weak a child reacts to his or her feelings– High – may be bothered by foods, smells, sights, sounds, uncomfortable

clothing– Low – accept what comes

Temperament continued:

• Perceptiveness – awareness of surroundings– High – easily distracted, difficulty following directions with

several different things to do– Low – handle many directions at once, less likely to notice

things around them• Adaptability – ability to adjust to changes– High – not bothered by surprises or change– Low –resists change, wants to keep doing whatever they

are doing, doesn’t like surprises• Regularity – following patterns– High – follow strong patterns of routine (eating, sleeping,

bathroom, and play times)– Low - each day is different

Temperament continued:

• Energy – physical activity– High – constantly moving even when sitting, like running

more than walking – Low – move less and can play in one spot for long time

• First reaction – how they face new situations– High – dive right in and take part, open to new activities– Low – hold back watch others first, resist new situations

• Mood – positive or negative– Happy cheerful vs. negative and cranky

Complete “Temperament” handout

9-2 Emotions in Infancy

• Game Identifying emotions: Students will act out emotion using facial expression, body language and sounds but not words

• Joy, anger, frustration, confusion, fear, love, pride, shame

9-2 How Behavior Is Learned

• Infant learns how to behave toward others through his or her relationship with others– Learned behavior depends on the messages he or she

receives from caregivers– Babies learn to repeat behavior that receives a positive

response (smiles, hugs, praise), and avoid behavior that receives negative responses (frowns or scolding).

– Babies crave any kind of attention, if positive reinforcement does not outweigh negative, they will do negative things just to get attention

– More sensitive to attitudes than words.– If caregiver is laughing while saying “no,” baby will think she

approves. (mixed messages, confusing, consistency is a must)

Emotions in Infancy

• Journal entry: title “Today’s emotions”• Answer: How do you feel today? (Positive toward

others, upbeat, grouchy, angry)• Think back to the first interactions with others you

had today…• How were your feelings shaped by those

interactions?Babies often pick up on moods of those around

them – how can you have an impact on kids you take care of or are around?

Emotions in Infancy

• Babies gradually develop the range of emotions you experience as young adults.

• At birth emotions are limited– Pleasure or satisfaction – when baby is quiet– Pain or discomfort – when baby cries

• Around 1 ½ months – show delight by smiling• Around 4 to 5 months – Disgust and Anger• Around 8 Months - Fear• Around 9 Months - Affection

Crying and Comforting

• Babies who cry loudly and often may be considered difficult:– Cuddling and rocking – benefits – stimulates the cortex

of the brain helping baby gin weight, develop sight and hearing, and promote sleep

– New position– Talk and sing softly– Offer a toy for distraction– Stroke babies back– Self comforting: pacifier (never on string around neck)

soft objects, sucking on thumb, self rocking

• Colic - baby extremely fussy everyday, usually between 6:00 to midnight. Most intense around 6weeks old.– Mom’s that are breast feeding should avoid: caffeine,

milk products, cabbage, and onions– Switch to soy based formula

Signs of Social Development in Infancy

• Typical development patterns:– 1st days – respond to human voices– 1 month – stop crying when lifted or touched; babies

face brightens when seeing family member– 2 months – smile at people; eyes follow moving objects– 3 months – turn head in response to a voice, want

companionship– 4 months – Babies laugh out loud– 5 months – increased interest in family members other

than parents; may cry when left alone

Typical development patterns cont:

• Typical development patterns:– 6 months – love company and attention (peekaboo)– 7 months – prefer parents over other family or

strangers– 8 months – prefer to be in a room with people – may

crawl to find them – 9 and 10 months – socially active, crawl after parents,

enjoy chase & playing games throwing toys– 11 and 12 months – friendly and happy, sensitive to

others emotions, like attention, more tolerant of strangers

Stranger Anxiety

• Around the age of 8 months babies fear unfamiliar people and usually express it with crying.

• This shows baby’s memory is improving and baby better remembers the faces of parents and caregivers.– Remind new people to approach the baby slowly

and give baby time to adjust– Not a good time to introduce sudden changes