Emotional Development in Early Childhood

Study Notes

The years between ages 3 and 6 are crucial for children's psychosocial development. Emotional development and sense of self stem from experiences during these years.
Emotional development follows an orderly progression, with more complex emotions evolving from simpler ones. Brain development is closely tied to emotional growth.
Early emotional expressions include crying, smiling, and laughing. Other indicators include facial expressions, motor activity, body language, and physiological changes.
Self-conscious and self-evaluative emotions emerge after the development of self-awareness.

Six basic emotions are universally experienced across cultures: happiness, sadness, fear, disgust, anger, and surprise.

Self-conscious emotions (e.g., embarrassment, empathy, envy) appear after children develop self-awareness, recognizing their unique identity.
This self-awareness typically develops between 15 and 24 months of age.
Self-awareness enables children to understand being the center of attention, recognize others' feelings, and experience envy.
By age 3, children, equipped with self-awareness and societal norms, evaluate their thoughts, plans, and behavior against social expectations, leading to self-evaluative emotions (pride, guilt, shame).

Altruistic behavior demonstrates helping others without expecting rewards.
Prosocial behavior encompasses any voluntary act intended to help others.
Parents' prosocial behavior models influence their children's prosocial behavior.
Empathy enables imagining another's feelings in a situation. This ability emerges around the second year and grows with age.

Sympathy involves caring and concern for someone, often accompanied by a wish for their wellbeing.
Empathy involves understanding and sharing another's feelings, while sympathy is more about external expression of emotion.
Social referencing occurs when individuals seek understanding of ambiguous situations by observing others' reactions.
It is evident by 12 months and plays a role in developing self-conscious emotions, self-awareness, and socialization.

Emotional self-regulation in toddlers is a crucial developmental milestone. It involves managing and responding to emotions appropriately.
Children high in effortful control can manage impulses and emotions, while those low in effortful control may struggle with frustration and anger.
As children mature, they become more aware of their own and others' feelings, better regulating their emotions and responding to others' emotional distress.

Early indicators of emotion: crying, smiling, laughing, facial expressions, body language, and physiological changes.
Self-awareness emerges between 15-24 months, forming the basis for self-conscious emotions like embarrassment, empathy, and envy.

Self-awareness, the understanding of one's distinct identity, is key to self-conscious emotions.
By age 3, children integrate self-awareness with societal standards, leading to self-evaluative emotions like pride, guilt, and shame.

Altruistic behavior: Helping others out of inner concern, without expectation of reward.
Prosocial behavior: Any voluntary act of helping others.
Prosocial parents model and encourage prosocial behavior in children.
Empathy: The ability to imagine another's feelings, develops during the second year and grows with age.

Sympathy: Feeling concern and care for someone, accompanied by wanting their happiness.
Social referencing: Relying on another person's perception to understand ambiguous situations.
Social referencing develops by 12 months and plays a role in self-conscious emotions, sense of self, and socialization.

Emotional self-regulation in toddlers is a critical skill for appropriate emotional responses.
Effortful control: Voluntary management of emotions, attention, and behavior.
Children with higher levels of effortful control can better regulate their emotions, especially negative ones.