emotional development Flashcards
what are emotions?
emotions are complex reactions to the envt.
- subjective feeling
- desire to take action / ctrl envt
- physiological rxns
- cognition
what does the discrete emotions theory state?
- emotions are innate
- emotions tied to specific body/facial reactions
- emotions and rxns present at birth
what does the functionalist emotions theory state?
- emotions have functions
- envt influences emotions
- emotions emerge w experience
what are the 2 emotion theories?
- discrete emotions theory
- functionalist emotions theory
babies begin to express emotions at birth.
what emotions can they express?
- interest
- disgust
- distress - generalised negative response
what positive emotions appear in a child’s 1st year of life?
1 mth: smiles triggered by envt
2-3 mths: voluntary, social smiles
3-4 mths: laughter
7 mths: preference for familiar ppl
when do babies express anger distinct from distress?
4-8 mths
what negative emotions appear in a baby?
4-8 mths: anger distinct from distress
6-7 mths: fear of strangers
7-12 mths: fear of loud toys, sudden movements
8-15 mths: separation anxiety (emerges from 7 mths, peaks 8-10 mths, disappears 2nd year of life)
what age do babies start to be self-conscious?
age 2 (18-24 mths)
what are some self-conscious emotions?
- pride
- embarrassment
- shame (focus on self)
- guilt (focus on others)
what are the 3 components in understanding others’ emotions?
- identifying emotions
- understanding causes of emotions
- understanding real/false emotions
emotional ___________ is present in very young infants. it indicates an awareness of ________, but not necessarily any __________.
contagion; emotions; understanding
in identifying emotions, state what each state can do?
a) 4-7 mths.
b) 7 mths.
c) 8-12 mths.
4-7 mths: can distinguish some emotional expressions, but do not understand meaning
7 mths: connect emotions to facial expressions and tone of voice
8-12 mths: relate emotions to causes in the world - permits social referencing
what can 2-5 year-old children do in identifying emotions?
- huge increase in ability to identifying emotions
- appearance of emotion language
- label simple emotions like happy, sad, surprise, angry
- use situational info
what can 6-10 year-old children do in identifying emotions?
- label more complex emotions (shame, guilt, pride)
- recognise that someone else can feel 2 conflicting emotions too
children identify the causes of different emotions at different ages. what are the emotions at:
2-3 yrs
4yrs
4-6yrs
7yrs
2-3 yrs: happiness
4yrs: sadness
4-6yrs: fear and anger
7yrs: shame, guilt, pride, jealousy
*children living in dangerous envt can identify fear and anger earlier on
what 2 changes do chidlren’s emotions go through in order to recognise fake emotions?
- skill: become better at inhibiting/masking emotions
- learn: gradual increase in awareness of display rules
with regards to fake emotions, 3 year-old children can attempt to ____________ negative emotions, while 5 year-old children can understand the difference between __________ and ____________ emotions.
disguise; external; internal
**external emotions - expressed outwardly
internal emotions - felt inside, may not be expressed
what are display rules?
display rules govern what kinds of emotional expressions are considered appropriate.
- vary across cultures
- children begin to learn display rules from infancy
- continue to learn cultural specific display rules throughout early and middle chidhood
It isn’t always appropriate to express what you are feeling. we have to _________ our emotions by initiating, inhibiting or modulating various components or emotions.
regulate
we have to regulate our emotions by _________, ___________ or ____________ various components of emotions like ___________ feelings, _________, ________________ processes, ______________.
inhibiting, initiating, modulating
internal; behaviour; physiological; cognitions
what are the 3 developmental patterns for how we regulate our emotions?
- caregiver to self
- behavioural to cognitive
- selecting appropriate strategies
one of the 3 developmental patterns for regulating emotions is “caregiver to self”. how does that develop?
birth-5 mths: parents regulate arousal
**parents help infants maintain an optimal level of arousal by responding to their needs promptly. eg., when an infant is crying due to hunger, discomfort, or overstimulation, the parent may feed, soothe, or comfort the baby to help regulate their arousal levels.
6 mths: self-soothe, avert attention
1-2 yrs: behavioural distraction
3-4 yrs: language
one of the 3 developmental patterns for regulating emotions is “behavioural to cognitive”. how does that develop?
young childen attempt to distract themselves by engaging in different behaviours
older children use more cognitive strategies:
think abt something else
reappraise situation - was it really that bad?
plan ways to solve problem
