Social Development Flashcards
What did erik erikson’s theory of social psychology state?
Each stage of life is associated with a particular crisis, or problem, to be resolved through interactions with other people. How we resolve each problem influences how we resolve problems in subsequent life stages.
What is the main problem of infancy according to erikson?
Developing a sense of trust
What is social referencing?
When an infant looks to the carer for cues of danger or safety
Why do infants tend to circle to see the carers face
They require the person’s emotional availability and expressions of reassurance
Name and describe the 4 types of attachment discovered through the strange situation test, what percentage of infants belong to each?
60% of babies have a secure attachment; They become upset when their mother leaves them and when the mother returns they will often run or crawl to her, greeting her warmly. The mother can soothe the child so the child will sometimes play with the stranger again.
10% of babies have an insecure-resistant attachment. These appear anxious even with their mothers and don’t explore much. They appear very distressed when the mother leaves but display anger when she returns. They stay near the mother when she returns but seem to resent her departure and seem to resist contact. Even with the mother there they are wary of the stranger.
15% of the babies have insecure-avoidant attachment. They show little distress when the mother leaves, avoids her when she comes back and shows little wariness of the stranger.
15% do not fit in this system and are said to have disorientated/Disorganised attachment. They show no coherent strategy for dealing with stress when the mother leaves/ Returns. They seek to be close to the mother in erratic ways, often a mix of the above (strong approach followed by strong avoidance.) They often look dazed/ disorientated upon reunion , may freeze in the middle of a movement or take a while before deciding to approach her.)
What behaviours are involved in sensitive care and what is its purpose?
Regular contact comfort, quick and helpful responses to a child’s sgnal of distress and interacting with the child in an emotionally sychronous manner promote secure attachment.
How can secure attachment hae a positive effect later in life?
More confidece, Better at solving problems, emotionally healthier and more sociable.
How does genes affect the relationship between parental care and infants attachment?
The gene 5-HTTLLPR. If the l allele is homozygous rather than the s gene mpre serotonin is produced which means that they are less liable to depression or become deeply affected by an abusive household. This coincides with findings from the secure attachment test.
Give two examples of infant care in hunter-gatherer cultures. How do these compare in development compared to children in developed societies?
In the !Kung San people the mother sleeps with her child at night and at day carries the child in a sling where the child can readily have access to the breasts. The child feeds on average every 15 minutes. When the child is not with the mother it is passed around among others who cuddle, fondle and kiss it. The child is never left alone to cry.
With the Efe people, the child is with the mother about half of the day. When it is not it is held by one of the other females and it feeds at will regardless if it is with it’s mother or not. At age 8-12 months however it shows increased preference towards its own mother.
This does not lead to greater dependence or prevent them from life’s frustrations and actually shows the opposite when compared to their british counterparts.
What three successive stages did Erikson divide the ages 1-12 into in regards to social psychology:
Autonomy (self control), initiative (willingness to complete actions,) and industry (competence in completing tasks.)
