A3: Emotional development (across the life stages) Flashcards
How does emotional development begin in infancy?
It begins with attachments.
- during the first 2 years of life, infants bond with those who care for them.
Define attachment?
Why are attachments important?
Attachment is the bond between children and their parents and care givers.
Attachment is important in childhood as the child will feel loved, safe and secure and this will lead to happier and healthier attachments in the future.
Emotional attachment timeline:
1) birth - 3 months?
2) 4-7 months?
3) 7-9 months?
4) 10+ months?
1) Responds to any caregiver.
2) Shows preference for primary caregivers but accepts care from others.
3) Prefers primary caregivers + seeks them for comfort - unhappy when separated + shows fear of strangers.
4) Begins to develop attachments with others who respond to them. By 18 months most infants have formed multiple attachments.
What are the 4 emotional development needs for infants?
1) bonding + attachment
2) security
3) contentment
4) independence
What are the two types of attachments?
- Secure
- Insecure
Describe secure attachments?
Describe insecure attachments?
1) Secure attachments to a main caregiver means a child will feel secure, loved, and have a sense of belonging.
- leads to happier + healthier attachments in the future.
2) Insecure attachments lead to behavioural issues, a lack of ability to receive affection of manipulative behaviour.
Describe John Bowlby’s theories of attachments?
(include fear of strangers + separation anxiety)
Bowlby believed that children were biologically pre-programmed to form attachments and that infancy is a critical period for forming positive attachments.
- He also recognises that children experiences separation anxiety when separated from their primary caregivers.
- Bowlby also suggested that the fear of strangers represents an important survival mechanism, built in by nature.
Critics of Bowlby
Rutter?
Shaffer + Emerson?
1) Rutter states that Bowlby oversimplified the theory of attachment + argued that maternal deprivation in itself may not lead to long-term issues.
He suggests privation is more damaging.
2) Shaffer + Emerson suggest that babies are more likely to form sound attachments to care givers who respond positively to their signals.
Explain the 7 reasons why attachment may not go smoothly?
1) Prematurity - if a premature baby is in an incubator they cannot be held - affects attachment process.
2) Postnatal depression - affects mothers ability to bond with their baby.
3) Seperation - affects attachment / affects babys sense of identity (illness/divorce/bereavement).
4) Adoption/foster care - children may experience inconsistency of caregivers - affects attachment + sense of identity.
5) emotional unavaliability - alcohol / drug problems or illness or struggling with their roles.
6) Disability - parents find it harder to attach to a baby with disabilities. Some (disabled) babies may struggle forming attachments.
Early childhood onwards.
Define self-concept?
Why is self-concept important?
1) How we see and feel about ourselves, seeing ourselves as a unique individual.
Self-esteem + Self-image.
2) Children with high self-esteem will be able to make relationships with ease, resist peer pressure and handle conflict. They have a positive and optimistic view of the world around them + their own life.
Describe the emotional developmental stage during…
1) 0-18 month?
2) 18-2 years?
1) babies build self-esteem through having their basic needs met. The attachment formed with primary care giver shows the infant that their loved, important, safe and secure.
2) Infant build their self-esteem through learning new skills and through their attachments with primary caregivers.
- Infants who feel unloved find it more difficult to develop a sense of self-worth.
What are 7 factors that impact the development of self-concept in adolescence?
- Culture/beliefs
- Family function/dysfunction
- Friendship groups
- Social media
- Bullying
- Major life events
- Illness / disability
