EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF INFANTS Chapter 8

EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF INFANTS Chapter 8

Emotions � At birth the range of emotion is limited � Pain and discomfort is shown by crying � Contentment is shown by being quiet � End of first and second months � Delight is expressed by smiling � Show different feelings by varying their types of cries. � End of the first year � Show anger

Bonding � � Attachment is physical contact that builds the bond between a child an a parent. One of the first studies on attachment was conducted by Harry Harlow with monkeys. � He created a substitute mother to raise baby out of chicken wire and also out of soft cloth, the baby monkeys clung to the mothers made of soft cloth, even when the chicken wire mothers held the bottle. � He realized that attachment also requires more than physical contact. As monkeys grew up they didn’t know how to relate to other monkeys and form normal social relationships.

Temperament � � Temperament is a person’s unique nature. Nine different temperament traits are: � Intensity – how strong or weak a response is � Persistence – how determined a child is to complete � Sensitivity – how strongly a child reacts to their feelings. � Perceptiveness – how aware child are of what’s around them � Adaptability – how easily they accept change � Regularity – how regular are patterns � Energy � First reaction – how children face new situations � Mood – if a child is typically cheerful or cranky

Research � � � Write a one to two page paper about birth order. Find characteristics of children who are born first, middle , and last. Within the paper answer: � Do you believe your birth order has affected your emotional development?

Social � Developmental Milestones � 1 month – coos and babbles, may cry a lot � 2 -3 months – begins to show excitement, eyes can follow objects, makes different crying sounds � 4 -6 months – turns to sound of familiar voices, laughs, squeals, babbles � 7 -8 months – tries to imitate sounds, enjoys other children, begin to experience stranger anxiety � 9 -10 months – responds to no and own name, says simple words, such as “no”, “bye bye, ” “dada, ” and “mama, ” crawls around � 11 -12 months – uses the words dada and mama, uses gestures and body language, spends time looking in mirrors

� Stranger Anxiety is a fear of unfamiliar people, usually expressed by crying

How behavior and development are learned � � Infants learn to behave through their relationships with others. The type of behavior babies learn depends on the messages they receive from caregivers. Babies learn about the world around them through play. Play strengthens all areas of development.

Play � Birth to 6 months � Play games with toys or objects the baby can grasp. � Place colorful toys where the baby can reach them. Name the colors so they can start to recognize it. � Make noises with a rattle � Gently shake, stretch, and exercise the baby’s arms and legs � Laugh or smile if the baby laughs and smiles � 6 months to 12 months � Play peek-a-boo � Simple books � Crawling � Songs, dancing, clapping