Emotional

Development
By:Charmaine Kelly O. Posadas,RM

I. The Development of
Emotions in Childhood
Theories on the Nature and
Emergence of Emotion

I. The Development of
Emotions in Early Childhood

Emotion is characterized by a motivational

force or action tendency and by changes in
physiology, subjective feelings, and overt
behavior.

Although most psychologists share this

general view of emotion, they often do not
agree on the relative importance of its key
components.

There is considerable debate, for example, about the

basic nature of emotions, including whether they are
innate or partly learned, and about when and in what form
different emotions emerge during infancy.

A. Theories on the Nature and

Emergence of Emotion
Discrete
DiscreteEmotions
EmotionsTheory
Theory

The
TheFunctionalist
FunctionalistApproach
Approach

Research
Researchsupports
supportsboth
both perspectives
perspectives to
to some
somedegree,
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and
andno
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onetheory
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Discrete Emotions Theory

Argues that:

Emotions are innate

and are discrete from
one another from
very early in life.

Each emotion is
packaged with a
specific and
distinctive set of
bodily and facial
reactions.

The Functionalist Approach

Emphasizes the role of the

environment in emotional
development

Proposes that the basic

function of emotions is to
promote action toward
achieving a goal

Maintains that emotions are

not discrete from one
another and vary somewhat
based on the social
environment

1. Positive Emotions

Smiling is the first clear sign

of happiness that infants
express.

Young infants smile from their

earliest days, but the meaning of
their smiles appears to change
with age.

Social Smiles are directed

toward people and first
emerge as early as 6 to 7
weeks of age.

1. Positive Emotions

At about 7 months, infants start

to smile primarily at familiar
people, rather than at people in
general.

After about 3 or 4 months of age,

infants laugh as well as smile
during a variety of activities.

During the second year of life,

children start to clown around
and are delighted when they can
make other people laugh.

2. Negative Emotions

The first negative emotion that

is discernible in infants is
generalized distress.

By 2 months of age, facial

expressions of anger or
sadness can be differentiated
from distress/pain in some
contexts.

By the second year of life,

differentiating between infants
anger and other negative
emotions is no longer difficult.

Fear

The first clear signs of fear

emerge at around 6 or 7
months, when unfamiliar
people no longer provide
comfort and pleasure
similar to that provided by
familiar people.

The fear of strangers

intensifies and lasts
until about age 2 but is
quite variable across
individuals and
contexts.

Other fears are also

evident at around 7
months and tend to
decline after 12 months.

The Stages of Emotional

Development
Frances Byatt-Smith RN RHV BA Psychology

Babies (0 1 Months)
Baby is adjusting to life outside the womb
Crying is a normal

2 - 3 Months
Showing a wide variety of feelings and expresses
emotions through smiles frowns, body movements,
gurgling and cooing
More settled beginning to settle into a more regular
routine and happy to be changed
Recognises familiar people and likes to smile at them

4 6 Months
Beginning to show fear around unknown people
Able to laugh and make happy sounds
Calmed when picked up and on hearing familiar voice

6 12 Months
Strong reaction to strangers and clings to parent.
May start to resist when not happy to do something
Enjoys attention
Emotional expressions are increased to include fear and
sadness.

12 18 Months
Beginning to show negative emotions and may resist naps,
refuse some foods and may have tantrums
Begins to understand turn taking games
Needs comfort and reassurance from parents/carers
Afraid of being apart from carer and cry when they see carer
leave.

Two Years
Shows extreme behaviour - dependent/interdependent, very
aggressive/calm, and helpful/stubborn.
Gets angry when stopped doing something that is unsafe
Temper tantrums are common and tends to cry, scream,
kick, bite and can be rough with other children
Easily distracted because of short attention span

Two Years
Has little concept of sharing plays alone alongside other
children
Likes routine and any changes are upsetting
Beginning to show feelings of sympathy, pity and pride and
aware of praise and smile
Becoming more independent

Two Years
Afraid of noises, trains, thunder and flushing toilets.
Separation from parent, especially at bedtime is still
frightening
May be able to hold picture of loved one in mind which will
help child to cope with separation from main carer (18
months 3 years)
Fear of strangers decreasing

Three Years
Play is the main activity of this stage and is important in the
development of identity and confidence
Demonstrates a balance of happiness and contentment
Continues to be self-centered and may feel responsible for
everything that happens
can have imaginary friends

Three Years
Ability to bargain but not to reason
Distraction techniques still work
Less frustrated and angry
Fear of dark remains and may have fear of moving objects
and fear of being abandoned by parent

Four Years
Enjoys jokes and silly games and loves showing off
Play still very important
Can still demonstrate stubbornness, aggression, kicking,
biting and blaming others for their naughtiness especially
older siblings

Four Years
A sense of past/future developing
Fear of dark continues
May compete with parent of same sex for attention of parent
of opposite sex
Needs parent for support and reassurance

Five Years
Becoming more independent and can be serious and
realistic at times
Demonstrates anger by slamming doors and stamping of
feet and verbally by saying I hate you .
Friendly & talkative to strangers

Five Years
May worry that something might happen to a parent while
the child is not there and parents will not be available to them
when needed
Becoming less frustrated and less angry

Thank

You !