Infancy and Childhood Social Development

Stranger Anxiety The fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age. Children have schemas for familiar faces; when they cannot assimilate the new face into these remembered schemas, they become distressed. The brain, mind, and social- emotional behavior develop together.

Attachment An emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress in separation.

Factors of Attachment Body Contact Familiarity Responsive Parenting

Body Contact Then this guy came along…….. It was first assumed that infants became attached to those who satisfied their need for nourishment. Then this guy came along……..

Harry Harlow and his Harlow’s Surrogate Mother Experiments Discovered that monkeys preferred the soft body contact of a cloth mother, over the nourishment of a hard/wirily mother.

Familiarity Attachments based on familiarity are formed during our critical periods. Critical Periods: the optimal period shortly after birth when an organism’s exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produce proper development.

Imprinting The process by which certain animals form attachments during a critical period very early in life. Do human’s imprint?

Responsive Parenting Mary Ainsworth Stranger Paradigm Do parents play a part in your attachment? Mary Ainsworth Stranger Paradigm Van den Boom’s Research pp. 156-157

Dad’s Matter Too Men are not just mobile sperm banks!!!! Paternal separation puts children at increased risk for various psychological and social pathologies.

Deprivation of Attachment Often withdrawn, frightened and in extreme cases speechless. Harlow’s monkeys would either cower in fright or act extremely aggressive. Many could not mate and if they could, the mothers were unresponsive parents. Is there a connection between crime and lack of childhood attachment?

Daycare High Quality daycare has shown no detrimental effects on children over the age of two. The studies go both ways for children under the age of two- no clear answer yet.

Self - Concept A sense of one’s identity and self-worth. When does self-awareness start?

Child-Rearing Practices Parenting styles have been shown to have a positive correlational effect on a child’s self-concept Three General Classifications of Parenting Styles:

Authoritarian Parents Impose rules and expect obedience. parents in complete control, and do not believe they have to explain their actions Parents believe that the child has no right to question their decisions “Why, because I said so!!!!”

Permissive Parents Parents submit to their children’s desires, make few demands and use little punishment. Permissive: (permissive indulgent) Children have the final say Parents are less controlling and non-punishing Uninvolved: (permissive indifferent) Self-centered in child rearing Distant from child

Authoritative Parents Parents are both demanding and responsive. Exert control by setting rules, but explain reasoning behind the rules. Encourage open discussion. Children can make some decisions but parents can veto

Correlation between authoritative parenting and social competence in children High education, ample income, harmonious marriage, common genes (3) Some third factor may be influencing both parents and child. (1) Parent’s behavior may be influencing child. Authoritative parents (2) Child’s behavior may be influencing parents. Self-reliant, Socially competent child

Erik Erikson’s Eight Stages of Psychosocial Dilemmas Stage One: Trust Versus Mistrust (Birth-1): Children are completely dependent on others Trust: Established when babies given adequate warmth, touching, love, and physical care Mistrust: Caused by inadequate or unpredictable care and by cold, indifferent, and rejecting parents Stage Two: Autonomy Versus Shame and Doubt (1-3) Autonomy: Doing things for themselves Overprotective or ridiculing parents may cause children to doubt abilities and feel shameful about their actions

Erik Erikson’s Eight Stages of Psychosocial Dilemmas (cont.) Stage Three: Initiative Versus Guilt (3-5) Initiative: Parents reinforce via giving children freedom to play, use imagination, and ask questions Guilt: May occur if parents criticize, prevent play, or discourage a child’s questions Stage Four: Industry Versus Inferiority (6-12) Industry: Occurs when child is praised for productive activities Inferiority: Occurs if child’s efforts are regarded as messy or inadequate We will visit the other 4 stages with the appropriate age group