Emotional Development II Flashcards
What is temperament?
The biological basis for personality, which is consistent patterns in behavioral and emotional response to the environment
Why is temperament said to be innate?
Because it is present from birth
What is the Type Approach of Temperament?
Based on interviews with caregivers, this theory came up with 3 types of babies: easy babies, difficult babies and slow-to-warm-up babies
What is the Dimensional Approach to temperament?
More nuanced approach than Type Approach, especially because many infants (35%) did not fit within the latter. This approach is based on 5 key dimensions of temperament based on parent answers and observation of children.
What are the five dimensions of Dimensional Approach?
- Positive affectivity
- Distress
- Fear
- Attention span
- Activity level
Is temperament stable?
Yes, very stable, as it reflects the influence of genetics on personality. But temperament is also shaped by environmental actors
What is an example of the importance of genetics on temperament?
Identical twins have more similar temperament than fraternal twins
What are some implications of temperament on children’s development?
Children contribute to their own emotional development based on their temperament. Some children are just easier to raise than others
What is the goodness of fit?
Degree to which a child’s temperament is compatible with the demands and expectations of their social environment.
A good fit between child and parents leads to…?
Better social outcomes, higher self-esteem, increased well-being and better emotional regulation
Goodness of fit is also influenced by…?
Temperament of the parent
How can parents create a better fit?
Understanding their child’s temperament and how it differs from them -> adjusting expectations -> selecting better suited activities for their temperament
What are three scenarios where a parent’s expression of emotion influences children?
- Parents who lack emotional expression = children have difficulties expressing and regulating and identifying emotions
- parent who expresses positive emotions = better-adjusted and socially skilled children
- Parents who express negative emotions = heighten awareness of emotional cues to conflict, leading to less social competence
What is another way parents influence emotional development?
Through their reaction to children’s emotion, based on mirroring and emotional coaching
What is mirroring?
Act where parents reflect emotions of children back to them, characterized by warmth and love.
Why is mirroring important?
Because it helps children identify, validate and normalize their emotions
What is the still-face study?
Parents alternated between responsive vs. still-faced in the presence of the child. Infants quickly became distressed, which increased at every still-faced episode.
What are two scenarios where parents are often still faced?
- When parents have mental illnesses
- When parents are on their phone (distracted, less responsive)
What is emotional coaching?
Use of discussion to teach children how to cope with and regulate emotions.
Is emotional coaching universal? Does it vary?
Yes, what is seen as appropriate emotional coaching depends on culture, where collectivist cultures are much more restraint.
What is the supportive/sensitive reaction?
When parents respond to children with mirroring and emotional coaching. It validates and helps foster emotion regulation.
What are some positive outcomes of supportive/sensitive reaction?
Better self-esteem, more empathy, and better academic performance
What are the four ways parents respond to their children (just name)
- Supportive/sensitive
- Critical
- Dismissive
- Over-validating
What is the critical reaction?
Reaction with no mirroring and no coaching, which leads children to become self-critical (e.g. What’s wrong with you? its just a test…)
What is the dismissive reaction?
Coaching + no mirroring, which leads children to doubt the validity of their feelings (e.g. Relax, its just a test…)
What is the overvalidating response?
Mirroring but no coaching which leads to overwhelming (e.g. OMG, I hate tests; they are so stressful)
What is a consequence of an innefective emotional reaction?
Less socially and emotionally competent
Why do parents react differently? (4 reasons)
- Cultural differences
- Generational differences
- Family Reactions
- Mood of the moment
Who is John Bowlby? Who did he study? What did he come up with?
Psychoanalyst who studied intense emotional distress in WWII children. He recognized that distress is caused by separation from parents and having emotional needs not met.
What is attachment theory?
Children and their primary caregiver are biologically predisposed to develop a deep emotional bond that forms the foundation of a child’s sense of security, which shapes their social and emotional development
What are the four features of attachment theory?
- Secure base - caregiver provides base to explore
- Proximity maintenance and seeking - biological motivation to stay close to parent for protection
- Separation distress - activates attachment system to seek proximity
- Safe heaven - caregiver helps manage arousal through co-regulation and deactivates attachment system
What influences the quality of attachment?
The experience with caregivers
Who is Mary Ainsworth? What did she do?
She provided empirical evidence for attachment theory through the Strange Situation Procedure
What are the most important parts of the Strange Situation?
Reaction of children when the parents return
What are the four attachment styles (just name)?
- Secure
- Avoidance
- Resistant/anxious
- Disorganized
What is the secure attachment style? What behaviors created it?
Infants use parents as a secure base and are easily soothed after distressing separation. Parents are consistently available and respond to infant’s needs. Children learns that proximity seeking is effective and they can rely on parent for comfort
What is the avoidant attachment style? What behaviors created it?
Infants readily explore and ignore parents when they return. Caused by unavailable parents who ignore/dismiss children. Deactivation of attachment system. Children learn that proximity seeking is not an option so they suppress emotions
What is a resistant/anxious attachment style? What behaviors create it?
Clingy children that are extremely distressed when separated and not easily soothed, even angry at parents. Created by parents who are inconsistently responsive to children and often overwhelmed. Leads to hyperactivation of attachment system and the coping of emotions by heightening it.
What is the disorganized attachment style? What behaviors created it?
Children freezes or dissociate and are generally fearful of parents. Created by parents who frighten and confuse children (harsh or neglectful parenting) where children learn that proximity seeking is the source of distress, leading to dissociation
What is the timeline of the attachment? (just name)
- Pre-attachment phase
- Attachment-in-the-making
- Clear-cut phase
- Reciprocal relationship
What is the pre-attachment phase?
From 0–6 weeks, infants display innate behaviors that elicit care but don’t show any preference for specific caregiver.
What is the attachment-in-the-making phase?
From 6 weeks to 6 months, infants prefer to receive care from familiar people, but are still open to others and they do not show separation anxiety
What is the clear-cut phase?
From 6-24 months, infants have clear preference and experience separation anxiety
What is the reciprocal relationship phase?
Infants tolerate separation distress and start to form bonds with others
Does attachment have a sensitive period? How do we know?
Yes, based on Romanian orphans who experience serious neglect. Those adopted before 6 months experienced typical development, however those adopted after 6 months faced profound cognitive, emotional and social issues
What is the sensitive period for attachment?
0-6m
A child with a temperament prone to distress will most likely have which temperament?
Resistant
Temperament influences…?
Attachment behaviors of the infants and the responsiveness of the parents
What is the differential susceptibility hypothesis?
idea that some children are temperamentally highly resistant or sensitive to both negative and positive environmental condition (e.g. a sensitive child in a negative environment = very negative outcome compared to resistant child)
Children with a more sensitive temperament in a low-quality daycare have more chance of…?
Having behavioral issues
What study was done on differential susceptability, genetics, and attachment?
Ukrainian preschoolers tested on attachment style, caregiving environment, and variation in the S allele gene. Results found that children with at least one S allele gene have more variability in their temperamental outcomes (better in high-quality caregiving and lower in low-quality caregivers).
What is the effectiveness of having only one secure attachment?
It buffers against the negative effects of insecure attachment
What is the internal working model?
Mental representations of the self created by experiences with parents and it act as a filter and guide expectations in adulthood
What are the two dimensions of the internal working model?
“Am I worthy of love?” and “Can i trust others?”
Avoidant working models have…?
High model of self, but low model of others
Resistant working models have…?
Low model fo the self but high model of others