Class 7: Infant & Toddler Emotional & Social Development

Class 7: Infant & Toddler Emotional & Social Development Berk Chapter 7 • Jen and Will visit • Early Emotions • Development of social-emotional relations • Interactional synchrony • Social referencing • Attachment • Film Life’s First Feelings Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Emotions • Expressions of basic code enabling people to connect with each other. • allow people to understand each others’ thoughts • & form the basis of much of our social interactions. • Infants get better at both expressing & understanding others’ emotions. • start with basic emotions. • use face, voice, gaze, & movements to express selves • look at the same cues to understand others. Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

First Basic Emotions Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Self-Conscious Emotions • More complex emotions emerge in mid 2nd year • Most between 18 & 24 months: • Called ‘self-conscious’ emotions, • needed before child can develop a conscience. • Shame • Embarrassment • Guilt • Pride • Envy (by age 3) Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Role of emotions in development of social interactions • Infant emotional communication • plays key role in normal development of social interactions (Tronick, 1989) • Early on, emotions guide quality & extent of social exchanges with parents. Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Role of emotions in development of social interactions • Describe 3 forms of early social-emotional exchanges: • ways we observe process of development of competent social interactions in infancy • interactive synchrony, • social referencing, • and attachment. Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Development of social interactions Interactive synchrony is defined as: • The episodes of reciprocal, mutually engaging cycles of caregiver & child behaviours • Timing of interaction important • Occurs when adult vocal or facial expression precipitates an immediate emotional response from infant. • starts ~ 2 - 3 mo of age • eg, infant social smile in response to mom’s smile Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Development of social interactions Interactive synchrony • Usually infant/mother face-to-face interactions • continue during 1st year of life • Spend about 1 hr/ day in ‘enface’ play • Synchrony occurs in about • 30% of enface interactions • 70% of time - uncoordinated with each other. Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Development of social interactions Interactive synchrony • Frequent & normal mis-coordinations • called interactive errors • eg if mom does not return an infant’s smile, • infant responds with quizzical look and withdraws from social interaction. • Transition back to coordinated state • called interactive repair Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Development of social interactions Interactive synchrony • at ~ 3 months, it is parents who guide the interactions & infants respond • eg, mom shows positive expression, infant responds. • By 6 months, infant takes initiative • eg, infant displays positive affect before mother does • infant involved in "duet” with mom • Face-to-face play almost disappears by 1 yr • Infant can move around, no longer content with it Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Regulating social-emotional relations Infants regulate social interactions • By 4 – 6 mo infants start to use simple strategies to regulate emotions • Adjust states to comfortable level of intensity • Helps from becoming overwhelmed • Techniques: • look away or turn away • Self-comfort (suck thumbs, rock) • Shift attention to something else Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Regulating social-emotional relations Age changes in regulating social interactions: • Toddlers between 18 – 36 months - • can move away from situation or closer to parent • & they have verbal labels • Happy, love, surprise, good, funny, fun • Bad, scary, mad, sad, yucky • Helps them to communicate feelings to parent Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Example of synchrony Stories from Brazelton (in Tronick, 1989) • Imagine 2 infant-mother pairs playing peek-a-boo. • first case, infant abruptly turns away from mother as game reaches its "peek" of intensity, • begins to suck on his thumb, • & stare into space with dull expression. • mother stops playing, sits back watches her infant. Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Example of synchrony After few seconds, • infant turns back with interested and inviting expression. • Mother moves closer, smiles, & says in • high-pitched, exaggerated voice, "Oh, now you're back!“ • He smiles in response and vocalizes. • As they finish crowing together, the infant reinserts his thumb and looks away. • The mother again waits. • After a few seconds the infant turns back to her, and they greet each other with big smiles. Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Example of asynchrony • Imagine a 2nd similar situation, • except after infant turns away, does not look back at mother. • Mother waits, then leans into infant's line of vision • & clicks her tongue to attract infant’s attention. • Infant ignores mother & continues to look away. • Mother persists & moves head closer to infant. • Infant grimaces, fusses & pushes at mother's face. • Within seconds he turns even further away from his mother & continues to suck on his thumb. Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Development of synchrony • In both examples, infants signal need to calm and regulate emotional state. • Suck thumbs, turn away • 1st case: mom respects infant’s signals • Waits until infant signals readiness to return • Infant returns to positive state • 2nd case: Mom ignores infant’s signals • Continues intrusiveness • Infant becomes more affectively negative Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Development of Synchrony • 1st dyad experiences frequent positive reciprocal exchanges • Mother ‘reads’ infant well • Still often are mis-coordinated interactions • But interactive errors are readily repaired • 2nd dyad experiences repeated conflicted negative exchanges • Mother not sensitive to infant’s signals • Coordination of behaviour & affect poorly timed, intrusive • Interactive errors are not repaired quickly Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Development of Synchrony Important factors in learning emotional regulation: • Balance of positive to negative interactions • Quick repair of emotional errors in interactions • In successful emotional interactions • Infant learns self-regulation works when overwhelmed • Infant gains confidence, trusts parent will help • Infant has success in organizing interactions • Baby’s smiles & laughter are contingent on mom’s affective turn-taking Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Still face reaction To illustrate importance of synchrony: • Situation: 3 – 4 mo old infant faces mom • Mom plays with baby • Typically – synchrony of interaction occurs • Mom shows exaggerated tone, expressive • Babe responds with smiles, laugh • Then mom stares at babe, no expression • For 1 - 2 min • By 6 mo, baby surprised, upset when no response from mom (Tronick, 1989) Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Still face reaction • Dramatic effect on infant - as young as 3 mo • Regulatory behaviours fail • Initially try to reestablish communication • Gesture, vocalize, facial expressions • When that fails, infant tries • negative emotions, self-comforting • Infant’s attempt at reciprocal interaction with mom is lost • Continue negative mood for next few minutes Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Development of Social Referencing • Social referencing is a 2nd means of observing development of young child’s social relationships. Definition of social referencing • “Hey Mom, is this OK?” • Infants in unfamiliar or ambiguous situation will look to a trusted caregiver (mom or dad) as if searching for clues to help them know how to react. Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Social referencing • Appears at 8 – 12 months of age • Use parents’ voice, facial expressions as cues • to understand reassurance or caution • eg, if infants shown new toy • alligator that hisses – • If parents look happy, infants play with toy • If parents look fearful, infants move away Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Social referencing Visual cliff technique (Campos, 1983) • Babies placed on shallow side of “cliff” • Adult coaxes infant to opposite side Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Social referencing Typical visual cliff study – 10 - 12 month olds • When exploring surface, infants look to their moms for cues on what to do • Half of mothers show happy face. • Half of mothers show fearful face. • Typically ~74% whose moms are happy cross deep end. • None whose moms are fearful cross deep end. • ie infants correctly read mothers expressions & interpreted message, & altered their behaviour Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Social referencing… • Indicates that infants/toddlers rely on parents’ emotions & behaviours to help them regulate their own behaviour. • Shows that the child is an active participant in process of developing emotional understanding & competence. Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Development of social-emotional relationships • Attachment • 3rd concept important to infant’s emotional development and social relationships • Likely important across child’s lifespan • Has strong impact on how child develops other social relationships • Research is showing that attachment is related to family, dating, sexual relationships among adults. Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Attachment Definition of Attachment • the strong & special emotional bond that emerges between infant and parents. • different from bonding • emotional tie of parent to infant (1 direction) Concept important to development • because it is linked to successful cognitive, social, & emotional development through childhood. Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Attachment Measuring attachment: • Strange situation Mary Ainsworth • Infant between 1 and 2 years of age • standardized task to measure & assess quality of child's relationships with parents • Infants use their mothers as a secure base for exploration, • moving out and checking back in Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Attachment: Strange Situation Series of episodes ~ each 1 - 3 min long • Parent and baby in playroom & left alone (30 sec) • Parent sits, watches, baby plays with toys (secure base) • Stranger enters, sits, talks to parent (reaction to unfamiliaradult) • Parent leaves room unobtrusively, stranger responds to baby, offers comfort if upset (separation anxiety) • Parent returns, greets baby, offers comfort (reaction to reunion) • Stranger leaves. Parent leaves (bye-bye). (separation anxiety) • Stranger enters & offers comfort. (ability to be soothed stranger) • Parent returns, greets baby offers comfort (reaction to reunion) Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Attachment 4 patterns of attachment identified : • 1. Secure • Relationship of trust & confidence • Provides comfort, reassurance • Allows infant to explore the environment Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Attachment 1. Secure attachment • clear signs of affection, feel comfortable in mother's presence • Baby explores in mom’s presence • May or may not cry when she leaves, but • distressed & apprehensive in her absence. • Wants to be with her when she returns • Then settles down & continues to play • “I missed you terribly, but now you’re back, I’m OK” • 65% of relationships Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Attachment • Insecure (3 types) • Unstable, unpredictable relation • Characterized by fear, anxiety, anger, clinging, seeming indifference of infant Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Attachment • Avoidant attachment (insecure) • Explores freely, seems uninterested in her presence • Is not upset when she leaves • Is not enthusiastic in greeting mother on her return • Ignores or avoids her, turns away on her return • “You’re not here when I want you. I always have to take care of myself.” • 20% of attachment relationships Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Attachment • Resistant attachment (insecure) • Resists active exploration of toys • Preoccupied with caregiver - clinging • Upset when mother leaves • Remains upset when she returns • Difficult to console, resists & seeks contact • Angry or passive or clinging • “Why do you do this? I need you desperately, yet you just leave me without warning. I get so angry when you do this!” • 10 – 15% of attachments Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Attachment • Disorganized attachment (insecure) • Reflects greatest insecurity • Neither explores freely, nor responds to mom in organized, coherent way • Confused when mother leaves • Doesn’t understand what’s happening when she returns, • dazed, flat, depressed emotional expression • Or cries and then hits her, or shows fear of her • “What’s going on here? I want you here, but you left & now you’re back. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.” • 5 – 10% of attachment relationships Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

How secure attachments develop • mom's style of interacting with infant & being responsive to baby's signals are key factors • sensitive to child's signals, cues • accepts role as caregiver, displays cooperation • waits until child finished an activity before making a request of child • is accessible, provides quick responses to crying especially Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

How insecure relations develop Mothers of disorganized babies • unresponsive, give conflicting messages, not positive as a ‘mom’ Are 3 times more likely to: (Lyons-Ruth, 1999) • Laugh when infant is crying • Use friendly tone, but have threatening posture • Invite approach, then distance • Tell infant to do something, then say not to do it • Neglect to soothe a distressed infant • Mock & tease infant • Hold infant away from body, stiff arms • Display sudden unexplained change of mood Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Attachment to fathers • Typically, father spends less time with infant • from 15 min/day to ~ 3 hours /day • compared with mothers 8 - 9 hrs /day • But children do become attached to their fathers • Usually have similar attachment interaction styles as with mother Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Summary • Basic emotions • Interactive synchrony • Social referencing • Attachment • A lot already going on in infant-caregiver relations • laying foundation for social-emotional development Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Film: Life’s First Feelings • examples of social-emotional interactions • Interactive synchrony & “still face” technique • Social referencing with visual cliff • individual differences in infant temperament • how it influences relationships • how parents can adapt to their infants. • Interviews or work described • Tronick, Spitz, Greenspan, Emde & Campos, Izard, Kagan Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Life’s First Feelings -Details • Tronick - Infant's first job • to handle multitude of experiences • If infant fussing all time, can't learn about environment • parent learns how much stimulation to give infant • infant learns to deal with stimulation • by disengaging & re-engaging - coming back Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Life’s First Feelings • When parent - infant interactions in synchrony, • Is like a dance between mother & infant • Tronick is convinced “dance” is characteristic of most normal interactions • & produces a bond of maternal expectation & trust Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Life’s First Feelings Study – Still-face technique • mom does not respond to infant when infant smiles • infant disengages (something not right), • looks back, confused • still no smile from mom •  drooling, vomiting & hiccups! • ie infant is upset, body unregulated & in lab! • infant of depressed mothers may have to use patterns of disengagement Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Life’s First Feelings • Tronick's research echoes Rene Spitz’s (1950's) • filmed institutionalized infants • saw apathetic infants, had loss of weight, • less resistance to illness > infant death • Robert Emde (student of Spitz) found that • physical needs of infants were attended to, • but not emotional care • infants look sad, grieved, emotionally starved • child abuse/neglect • a strong tie between infant & caring adult is crucial to emotional & physical well-being of infant Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Life’s First Feelings • Stanley Greenspan (psychiatrist) • works with disturbed kids – • individual patterns of child emotional development • Oversensitive infants • Family context – sibling rivalry • helps parents help their children master emotional disturbances Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Life’s First Feelings What does infant bring to relationship? • Greenspan shows mother with fussy baby • Infant oversensitive to touch, sight, sound, position • may interfere with infant’s ability to self-calm • Begins downward cycle of problems: • eg, infant has aversion to touch ---> mother feels rejected ---> not a cuddly baby ---> mother/child problems in future Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Life’s First Feelings • Strategy to help • mother adjusts her parenting style, adjusts to infant • Eg, uses kissing game ---> vision & hearing, not touch • helps maintain critical dance between mother & child Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Life’s First Feelings • Izard in 1950's, decided all human problems involved emotion • but scientists didn't study emotion • needed objective measures • Izard believes there is an innate timetable for emergence of emotional expression Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Life’s First Feelings • Izard encoded 7 facial expressions • anger, joy, sadness, disgust, surprise, fear, interest • Believes they are set of fundamental innate universal human emotions • data show expressions not just "face deep" • & biological basis to face expressions • Emotions serve biological & social functions • Facial expressions are important for 1st social bond & development of child’s personality Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Life’s First Feelings • Jerome Kagan: • Studied shy, inhibited children • & differences in temperament among 2-yr olds • Watched kids reactions to room with enticing toys • some kids timid, staring, “casing” the place • some playing • found 10-15% either very outgoing or vigilant, apprehensive, cautious • “shy” temperamental quality biologically determined Class 7, 25 Oct 2006

Class 7: Infant & Toddler Emotional & Social Development