chapter 10: emotional development Flashcards
emotions
neural and physiological responses to the environment, subjective feelings, cognitions related to those feelings, and the desire to take action
discrete emotions theory
a theory in which emotions are viewed as innate, and each emotion has a specific and distinctive set of bodily and facial reactions
functionalist perspective
a theory which argues that the basic function of emotions is to promote action toward achieving a goal. In this view, emotions are not discrete from one another and vary somewhat based on the social environment
social smiles
smiles that are directed at people; they first emerge around the third month of life
separation anxiety
feelings of distress that children, especially infants and toddlers, experience when they are separated, or expect to be separated, from individuals to whom they are emotionally attached
self-conscious emotions
emotions such as guilt, shame, embarrassment, and pride that relate to our sense of self and our consciousness of others’ reactions to us
social referencing
the use of a parent’s or another adult’s facial expression or vocal cues to decide how to deal with novel, ambiguous, or possibly threatening situations
emotional intelligence
the ability to cognitively process information about emotions and to use that information to guide both thought and behavior
display rules
a social group’s informal norms about when, where, and how much one should show emotions and when and where displays of emotion should be suppressed or masked by displays of other emotions
emotion regulation
a set of both conscious and unconscious processes used to both monitor and modulate emotional experiences and expressions
co-regulation
the process by which a caregiver provides the needed comfort or distraction to help a child reduce his or her distress
self-comforting behaviors
repetitive actions that regulate arousal by providing a mildly positive physical sensation
self-distraction
looking away from an upsetting stimulus in order to regulate one’s level of arousal
social competence
the ability to achieve personal goals in social interactions while simultaneously maintaining positive relationships with others
emotion socialization
the process through which children acquire the values, standards, skills, knowledge, and behaviors that are regarded as appropriate for their present and future roles in their particular culture
emotion coaching
the use of discussion and other forms of instruction to teach children how to cope with and properly express emotion
temperament
individual differences in emotion, activity level, and attention that are exhibited across contexts and that are present from infancy and thus thought to be genetically based
goodness of fit
the degree to which an individual’s temperament is compatible with the demands and expectations of his or her social environment
differential susceptibility
a circumstance in which the same temperament characteristic that puts some children at high risk for negative outcomes when exposed to a harsh home environment also causes them to blossom when their home environment is positive
mental health
children’s sense of well-being both internally, such as in their emotions and stress levels, and externally, such as in their relationships with family members and peers
stress
a physiological reaction to some change or threat in the environment
toxic stress
the experience of overwhelming levels of stress without support from adults to help mitigate the effects of that stress
adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
traumatic childhood experiences, such as abuse, neglect, violence exposure, or death of a parent, that are linked to mental and physical health problems later in life
mental disorder
a state of having problems with emotional reactions to the environment and with social relationships in ways that affect daily life
equifinality
the concept that various causes can lead to the same mental disorder
multifinality
the concept that certain risk factors do not always lead to a mental disorder
depression
a mental disorder that involves a sad or irritable mood along with physical and cognitive changes that interfere with daily life
rumination
the act of focusing on one’s own negative emotions and negative self-appraisals and on their causes and consequences, without engaging in efforts to improve one’s situation
co-rumination
extensively discussing and self-disclosing emotional problems with another person
anxiety disorders
a set of mental disorders that involve the inability to regulate fear and worry
