PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN INFANCY

Transcription

1 CHAPTER 6 PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN INFANCY McGraw-Hill Erikson s s Theory of Infant & Toddler Development Psychosocial theory Neo-Freudian perspective Birth-1year Basic Trust vs. Mistrust (psychological conflict) Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt The Meaning of Relationships A Pattern of intermittent interactions between two people involving interchanges over an extended period of time. 1

2 Attachment A strong emotional bond a person feels toward special people in his or her life May hold first key to socialization The process by which a person s behaviors, values, attitudes, etc., fit with what society desires Ethological Theory of Attachment Attachment in Rhesus Monkeys Harry Harlow ( ) Put baby monkeys in cages with two monkey-shaped wire figures One was covered in soft cloth no food One was bare wire with food Baby monkeys spent more time on cloth-covered figure, even when it did not provide food Attachment John Bowlby ( ) Inspired by Lorenz Argued that attachment evolved because it promotes survival Insisted early parent child interactions are crucial for normal development By 7 8 months of age, strong attachment may lead to separation anxiety Fear response when the caregiver leaves May be stronger when caregiver is inconsistent Comes and goes throughout childhood 2

3 Strange Situation Lab procedure for measuring the quality of attachment between ages 1 & 2 involving short separations from & reunions with the parent From this experiment 4 types of attachment were identified Types of Attachment Ainsworth: Secure attachment (~60%) Distressed when caregiver leaves Easily comforted Avoidant attachment (~20%) Not distressed when caregiver leaves Not easily comforted Attachment Resistant or (Ambivalent) Attachment (~15%) Seek closeness with caregiver Angry when caregiver leaves Ambivalent when caregiver returns Disorganized or (Disoriented) Attachment Confused contradictory when reunited with parents Greatest insecurity 3

4 The Meaning of Relationships How Do Children Develop Relationships? Bodily needs Psychological needs Adult response needs Fathers and Attachment Provide more unpredictable, less rhythmic and more exciting stimulation than mothers Playful type relationship More research needed Temperament Early appearing stable individual differences in reactivity (quickness of intensity of emotional arousal, attention & motor activity) & self-regulation (strategies that modify reactivity) psychological traits believed to form basis of adult personality 4

5 Temperament Clear genetic influence Made after age 2 Easy children: adapts to new experiences, quickly establishes regular routines, cheerful, calm relaxed Difficult children: irregular in daily routines, restless, irritable Slow-to-warm-up children: Adjust slowly to new experiences. Low intensity of reactions, may be negative when encountering something new. Temperament Goodness of Fit (Thomas & Chess) Exists if interactions between parents and their children are compatible At different periods of development it can change to poorness of fit Difficult children Temperament Sensitive Responsiveness How sensitive parents are to the child s temperament in order to establish and keep a goodness of fit 5

6 Early Emotional Development Emotions and Emotional Development Healthy emotional development helps children to define their personal individuality What is Emotion? A subjective feeling Accompanied by a physiological change Interpreted by the individual, which often leads to a change in behavior Basic Emotions Happiness Sadness Anger Fear Surprise Disgust Emotions 6

7 Identifying Emotions Cross-cultural consistency in interpretations of facial expressions However, emotional expression is not the same as emotional experience There are cultural differences in emotional interpretation and expression AAAAAhhhhh!! 7