Lecture 2

Factors that Influence Emotional/Social/Behavior Development

Introduction

This module looks atthe developmental stages and characteristics of young children's social, emotional and cognitive development. The influences of environmental factors such as poverty, access, linguistics, culture and family are assessed, and appropriate classroom environments are analyzed. Ethical practices related to policy are introduced.

The Developmental Stages of Brain Growth

Prenatal

The human brain begins growth and development at around 25 weeks gestation and continues at a rapid pace until about 1 year after birth. During the prenatal period, many factors influence the growth and development of the brain. The mother's diet and emotional state play key roles in the formation of cell systems that are the foundations for intelligence. Neurons are the cells that make up the brain. They go through a series of phases of rapid growth, migration and differentiation. Neurons travel, or migrate, to the areas of the brain where they specialize or differentiate according to their function. During this time, brain growth is inhibited and migration and specialization is impacted by exposure to smoking, drugs, alcohol, poor nutrition and stress.

Birth to Age 8

Neurologists consider birth to age 8 as the critical time of brain development during which "use it or lose it" is the rule of the day. By age 8, the brain loses some of its flexibility and malleability. While the brain still continues to grow, it is during this time that early experiences are key for the brain to create neural connections and synapses, in response to experiences. If these connections are not used and reinforced, the neurons are pruned. This term refers to the falling away process that occurs. Children who are raised in impoverished environments with little stimulation, conversation, and poor nutrition are faced with a greater amount of pruning. While the brain retains some plasticity throughout life, the window of time crucial to create neural pathways that are strong with many connections is from birth until the age of 8.

One study, which demonstrated the effects of an enriched environment, compared rats in spacious cages with toys, mazes, and exercise time to rats in small cages containing food and water only (Diamond, Krech, & Rosenszweig, 1964). When the rats' brains were examined and compared, the cerebral cortex of the rats in enriched environments were thicker than their impoverished counterparts. A thicker cortex translated into smarter rats. The implications for human growth and development are far reaching as we think in terms of ethics, society, poverty, and equity.

In terms of the classroom setting, it is important to create an environment that is rich in experience, language and literacy. Opportunities to be challenged, and to explore and interact with the environment are crucial for brain development and learning to take place.

Emotional Development

Emotions begin developing by birth and continue to form concurrently in relation to cognition or learning. They are interconnected and drive learning. Before verbal language is acquired, infants use movement and facial expressions to communicate emotions such as happiness, distress, pleasure, and excitement.

The theory of attachment advances the idea that deep emotional bonds with a specific person last over time. Secure early relationships promote healthy emotional development and allow the brain to grow during the appropriate stages. Failure to attach to a significant person causes "failure to thrive" in infants and children. Both emotional development and cognition are stunted when attachments are not made.

Teachers can provide a secure, positive attachment relationship with children in the classroom by being consistently responsive, reliable, and predictable in their interactions. They set the tone in the classroom of safety, trust, concern, and stability.

Emotions help the brain determine what is important. Emotions function in focusing attention, deriving meaning or stimulation from the environment, and creating memory and access. Keeping the emotional tone in the classroom positive and pleasant gives children the opportunity to learn without having to cope with emotional stress.

Self-Regulation

Self-regulation is the ability to adjust and control feelings and behavior. Self-regulation begins late in the third trimester of pregnancy; however, it becomes evident beginning with birth. The baby responds to intrauterine stimuli. After birth, this response to the environment continues and becomes more apparent as the infant's sleeping patterns change. As the need for sleeping during the day decreases, the amount of awareness increases. Toddlers begin to wrestle with impulse control. As the child matures, factors such as age, culture, family, and innate temperament influence the development of self-regulation. While much of self-regulation is learned, a difficult temperament can make the process of self-regulation challenging. Teachers need to understand the typical abilities and actions of young children at each stage and respond accordingly.

The following developmental continuum of abilities and actions is based on the "Theory of Mind" construct developed by Cole, Cole and Lightfoot (2005):

Birth to 12 months

beginning of self-regulation through interactions with parents/caregivers

no self awareness yet

emotional states not experienced on a conscious level

1 year to 2.5 Years

beginnings of awareness of own emotions

development of early forms of empathy

identification of basic emotions (happiness, sadness)

emerging ability to identify secondary emotions (anger, fear)

3-4 Years

continued development of awareness of own emotions

development of ability to pretend and act out emotions

emergence of the ability to match emotions to situations

emergence of the ability to understand that others may feel or think differently

continued development of empathy

5-6 Years

differentiation of emotions in self and others

awareness of more secondary emotions

ability to cover or hide emotions

ability to navigate social situations using understanding of emotions

7-8 Years

development of self-regulation to the point of thinking about emotions and controlling reactions to situations

development of a strong sense of self

desiring to please others

recognizing emotions in others

growth in independence

Conclusion

Children's social and emotional development follows fairly predictable patterns. External environmental forces can influence the stages. Poverty, culture, language, nutrition and the early bonding experiences all impact emotional, social, cognitive and behavioral development in early childhood. Effective teachers in early learning situations provide enriched environments that take into consideration the developmental stages of children. Teachers create rooms that are built upon trust, consistency, and positive experiences that facilitate the development of self-regulation.

Reference

Cole, M., Cole, S., & Lightfoot, C. (2005). The Development of Children. New York: Worth Publishers.

Diamond, M. C., Krech, D., & Rosenzweig, M. R. (1964). "The effects of an enriched environment on the rat cerebral cortex." Journal of Comparative Neurology,123,111-119.