Toddler Social and Emotional Development Flashcards
What are the key developments for a toddler in the social and emotional aspect?
- Emergence of self-awareness
- Emotional regulation
- Social skills
- Establishment of relationships with others
At what age does self-awareness emerge?
Between 18 and 24 months, where toddlers begin to recognise themselves as separate individuals (Eg: recognising themselves in a mirror or photos)
Why is self-awareness a significant development?
It’s crucial for developing other social and emotional skills, such as empathy and pride
What is meant by regulation responses in emotion?
The ability to manage and express emotions in socially appropriate ways
What are some emotional regulation response examples?
- Distraction
- Self-soothing
- Seeking help from an adult
What are some important social skills?
- Interaction skills
- Play development
What are some early interaction skills?
- Making eye contact
- Smiling
- Sharing and taking turns (this comes later)
- Start to understand simple social norms and expectations
How does play evolve?
From solitary to more cooperative forms
How does pretend play benefit toddlers?
It enhances their social understanding and creativity
Why are attachments important in the social and emotional development of toddlers?
Secure attachment to caregivers provides a foundation for exploring the social world and developing healthy relationships with peers
Why are peer relationships important in the social and emotional development of a toddler?
Toddler relationships may not be long-lasting or deep, but interacting with peers is essential for social learning, helping toddlers practice negotiation, empathy and cooperation
Give an example of how toddlers practice negotiation
Both toddlers want the same toy, child A negotiates with child B by giving them their toy to have the toy they both want
Give an example of how toddlers practice empathy
An adult expresses pity to another child who’s ill or injured. The child feels empathy for the mentioned child
What is meant by rudimentary?
Immature, undeveloped, basic form
Why is perspective-taking important in the social and emotional development of toddlers?
While still very rudimentary, the ability to see things from another’s viewpoint starts to develop, influencing their interactions with others
What are strategies to support the social and emotional development of toddlers?
- Create a safe and supportive environment to encourage emotional expression and interaction with peers
- Caregivers should model appropriate social and emotional behaviours
- Direct guidance: Talking through emotions and appropriate responses
- Provide opportunities for play, as it helps toddlers develop and practice their social skills
What are critical components of a toddler’s social and emotional development?
- Temperament
- Personality
What’s temperament?
The innate traits that determine a child’s approach to the world, including their behavioural style and the typical way they respond to situations
What’s personality?
Personality is shaped by the interaction of an individual’s temperament and their experiences
What are the qualities that define a child’s temperament?
- Reactivity
- Self-regulation
- Sociability
- Adaptability
What is the reactivity quality in temperament?
How strongly children react to things like exciting events or not getting their way. Reactive children tend to feel things strongly
What is the self-regulation quality in temperament?
How much children can control their behaviour, including the way they show their feelings, how much attention can they control and how persistent they are
What is the sociability quality in temperament?
How comfortable children are when they meet new people
What is the adaptability quality in temperament?
How quickly children can adjust to new situations or changes in their environment
What are the characteristics of toddler temperament?
- Activity level
- Rhythmicity (regularity)
- Approach / Withdrawal
- Adaptability
- Intensity of reaction
- Threshold of responsiveness
- Quality of mood
- Distractibility
- Attention span and persistence
What are the characteristics of a high energy levelled child?
They’re energetic and often on the move
How do you support a child that has a high energy level?
Provide plenty of physical activities, structured sports or dance lessons
What are the characteristics of a low energy levelled child?
They prefer less movement and more calm activities
How do you support a child that has a low energy level?
Encourage light physical activities like walks or simple games to stimulate engagement
What is rhythmicity?
Eg: How regular the child has their mealtime or bedtime
What are the characteristics of a child with regular rhythmicity?
They thrive on a consistent routine
How do you support a child with regular rhythmicity?
Maintain a predictable daily schedule with structured times for meals, sleep and activities
What are the characteristics of a child with iirregular rhythmicity?
They struggle with routine and predictability
How do you support a child with irregular rhythmicity?
Introduce a flexible structure, preparing them gradually for changes to instill a routine
What are the characteristics of a child more approachful?
They quickly engage with new situations
How do you support an approachful child?
Support enthusiasm but teach caution and observation before action
What are the characteristics of a child more reserved (withdrawal type)?
They’re hesitant with new people or environments
How do you support a reserved child?
Encourage gradual exposure to new settings, allowing time to observe and join when ready
What are the characteristics of an adaptable child?
They easily adjust to change
How do you support an adaptable child?
Encourage flexibility but also develop routines for stability
What are the characteristics of a less adaptable child?
They resist or struggle with change
How do you support a less adaptable child?
Prepare in advance for transitions, using visuals or stories to explain changes
What are the characteristics of a child who reacts with high intensity?
They show strong emotional responses
How do you support a child who reacts with high intensity?
Teach coping skills like deep breathing and provide appropriate ways to express emotions
What are the characteristics of a child who reacts with low intensity?
They show mild emotional responses
How do you support a child who reacts with low intensity?
Encourage expression of emotions more openly, and model emotional expression
What is meant by threshold of responsiveness?
The level of intensity to physical stimuli
What are the characteristics of a child who has a high threshold of responsiveness?
They need more stimulation to respond
How do you support a child who has a high threshold of responsiveness?
Use engaging vivid experiences to elicit reactions
What are the characteristics of a child who has a low threshold of responsiveness?
They get overwhelmed by too much stimulation
How do you support a child who has a low threshold of responsiveness?
Reduce overwhelming stimuli and introduce new sensations slowly
What are the characteristics of a child who has a positive quality of mood?
They are generally cheerful and optimistic
How do you support a child who has a positive quality of mood?
Reinforce positive mood with praise and encourage resilience against challenges
What are the characteristics of a child who has a negative quality of mood?
They often have a more somber demeanor
How do you support a child who has a negative quality of mood?
Provide comfort and reassurance, teaching constructive emotional expression
What are the characteristics of a highly distractible child?
They are easily pulled away from tasks
How do you support a highly distractible child?
Minimise distractions and use strategies to enhance focus, like timers or smaller task segments
What are the characteristics of a child who has low distractibility?
They can concentrate well, ignoring distractions
How do you support a child who has low distractibility?
Provide complex and engaging tasks that match their ability to focus
What are the characteristics of a child with a short attention span and persistence?
They lose interest quickly
How do you support a child with a short attention span and persistence?
Rotate activities frequently and use interactive methods to sustain engagement
What are the characteristics of a child with a long attention span and persistence?
They engage deeply with tasks
How do you support a child with a long attention span and persistence?
Offer in-depth activities and encourage setting and achieving extended goals
How do you adapt parenting for a child’s temperament?
A child’s temperament cannot be changed but their development can be nurtured by adapting parenting to the child’s temperament
What are the three loosely defined categories of a child’s temperament?
- Easy
- Slow to warm up / Shy
- Difficult / Challenging
What are the characteristics of an easy child?
- Tends to respond to the world in a positive manner
- Mildly to moderately intense
- Adapt easily to new schools and people
- When encountering a frustrating situation, it’s usually with relatively little anxiety
What are the characteristics of a child who’s slow to warm up? (shy)
- Tend to have moods of mild intensity, usually, but not always, negative
- Adapts slowly to unfamiliar surroundings and people
- Often hesitant and why when making new friends
- Tend to withdraw when first meeting new people and circumstances
What are the characteristics of a challenging child? (A fussy baby)
- May be hard to please or prone to temper tantrums
- Occasionally explosive, stubborn and intense
- May adapt poorly to new situations
- May have trouble adjusting at school
What is personality shaped by?
The interaction of an individual’s temperament and their experiences, including the patterns of thoughts, feelings, social adjustments and behaviours that persist over time
What influences personality development?
- Genetic factors
- Environmental factors
- Social factors
What genetic factors influence personality development?
- Innate temperament
- Biological processes
How does innate temperament influence personality development?
Temperamental traits like activity level, mood stability and adaptability serve as the foundation for later personality development
How do biological processes influence personality development?
Genetics also dictate certain biological aspects of neurodevelopment that can influence personality traits like impulsivity, sensitivity and sociability
How does parental influence affect personality development?
It affects the attachment style that children form with their caregivers, which significantly impacts their personality. Secure attachment generally leads to higher self-esteem and better social skills, whereas insecure attachment can lead to difficulties in relationships and self-concept
How do parenting styles influence personality development?
Warm yet firm parenting produces confident and well-adjusted children, whereas more authoritarian or permissive styles can lead to aggression or low self-esteem
What are the four parenting styles?
- Authoritative
- Authoritarian
- Permissive
- Uninvolved
What is the authoritative parenting style?
A balance of warmth and responsiveness with firmness and setting of clear expectations. Parents are nurturing and supportive while also maintaining reasonable standards and boundaries
What is the authoritarian parenting style?
High demands and strict rules with little room for flexibility. Parents typically have high expectations of their children but may not offer much warmth or support
What is the permissive parenting style?
High levels of warmth and support but low levels of control and discipline. Parents tend to be very nurturing and accepting of their children’s behaviors, often avoiding setting strict rules
What is the uninvolved parenting style?
Parents are unresponsive to their children’s needs. They may be disengaged from their children’s lives
What environmental factors affect personality development?
- Physical environment
- Cultural context
How does the physical environment affect personality development?
Living in a safe, stimulating and resource-rich environment can foster a positive personality development, enhancing traits like openness and conscientiousness
How does cultural context affect personality development?
It can influence children’s values, behaviours and the way they interact with others. Culture affects personality traits like individualism vs collectivism, as well as attitudes toward compliance and assertiveness
What are the basic five personality traits? (aka the big five)
O: Openness to experience
C: Conscientiousness
E: Extraversion
A: Agreeableness
N: Neuroticism
What are the characteristics that decide an individual’s openness to experience?
- Imagination
- Insight
- Broad range of interests
(which reflect the degree of) - Intellectual curiosity
- Creativity
- Preference for novelty and variety a person has
What are the behaviours of individuals high in openness?
More likely to enjoy new things, thinking about abstract concepts and engaging in artistic activities
What are the characteristics that decide an individual’s conscientiousness?
- High levels of thoughtfulness
- Good impulse control
- Goal directed behaviours
They’re organised and mindful of details
What are the behaviours of conscientious individuals?
- Disciplined
- Well-prepared
- Responsible
- Careful in their actions
- Usually follow rules
- Prefer planned rather than spontaneous behaviour
What are the characteristics that decide an individual’s extraversion?
- Excitability
- Sociability
- Talkativeness
- Assertiveness
- High amounts of emotional expressiveness
What are the behaviours of extroverted individuals?
- Enjoy being with people
- Full of energy
- Often experience positive emotions
- Enthusiastic
- Action-oriented
- Likely to say “yes!” or “let’s go!” to opportunities for excitement
What are the characteristics that decide an individual’s agreeableness?
- Trust
- Altruism (selfless concern for the well-being of others)
- Kindness
- Affection
- Other prosocial behaviours
What are the behaviours of agreeable people?
- Cooperative rather than suspicious and antagonistic towards others
- Generally considerate
- Friendly
- Generous
- Helpful
- Willing to compromise their interests with others
What is meant by neuroticism?
The tendency to experience negative emotions frequently and intensely
What are the characteristics that decide an individual’s neuroticism?
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Depression
What are the behaviours of individuals with high levels of neuroticism?
- Emotionally reactive
- Vulnerable to stress
- More likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening
- More likely to interpret minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult
What are assessment tools that incorporate the big five?
- Behavioural observations
- Teacher-rating scales
- Parental feedback
How can regular observations help in identifying personality traits?
Regular observations of children in different settings can provide insights into children’s personality traits
How can teacher-rating scales be used to identify the Big Five?
Tools like the Big Five Inventory (BFI) and Children’s Behaviour Questionnaire can be adapted for teachers to rate various aspects of children’s behaviour that align with the Big Five traits
How is the big five incorporated into parental feedback?
Information from parents can provide insights into a child’s behaviour at home, which can be correlated with observations at school to get a comprehensive view of their personality traits
What are educational strategies that can be used for open children?
- Encourage exploratory play
- Provide diverse learning materials (books, art supplies, science kits)
- Engage children in discussions that promote curiosity and inquisitive thinking
What are educational strategies that can be used for conscientious children?
- Implement structured routines
- Use task lists for older children
- Create clear expectations
- Reward systems for task completion and good behaviour
How are reward systems beneficial?
It reinforces their innate drive for order and achievement
What are educational strategies that can be used for extroverted children?
- Design group activities that allow for verbal communication and social interaction
- Include games and projects that require teamwork and active participation
What are educational strategies that can be used for agreeable children?
- Foster a cooperative classroom environment with plenty of opportunities for sharing and teamwork
- Use story-telling and roleplaying to develop empathy and social skills
What are educational strategies that can be used for children high in neuroticism?
- Create a reassuring environment that helps children manage stress
- Introduce techniques like mindfulness and quiet time
- Add spaces where children can relax when overwhelmed
How does understanding these aspects benefit eductors?
It can help in creating educational strategies, interventions and supports tailored to the needs of children
