Developmental Psychology

Complex communication is considered a form of conversation that contains questions and either basic or complex commands. 4.9 Social and Emotional Development When children are born, they will start learning how to be social and will develop emotions. Children clearly have a preference towards people they are more familiar with, than they are with a stranger. Children may also prefer a specific toy or another object that they are familiar with rather than a strange, new object or item. Separation anxiety can occur when a child is separated from a parent or a loved one who is their caregiver. Separation anxiety can happen at various ages, but on average a child will begin experiencing separation anxiety around 12 through 16 months of age, and it will slowly go away after 16 months. Attachment is an infant’s way to seek interaction with specific individuals. A woman by the name of Mary Ainsworth is credited with creating a series of experiments that help others have a better understanding about infant attachment. Ainsworth’s most popular study was called The Stranger Situation. This study looked at the different way’s attachment can form between children and their caregivers. Aspects of “The Stranger Situation” In this study a mother and a child were in a room together where there were toys and games that they could use together. The child was allowed to move freely and explore the toys and games. After a little while, a stranger came into the room, and approached the child. The mother walked out of the room, leaving the child with the stranger that had just entered the room. The stranger would leave the room as the mother would come back in. This went on several times. The child was studied through a standard one-way mirror to see the reaction he or she would have with the stranger and the mother. There are four different types of attachment occurred and were categorized into the following: • Securely attached : The children placed in this category were seen playing with the games and toys and were known for getting along with the stranger who entered the room. The child became distressed when the mother left the room. When the mother came back into the room, the child went to the mother to receive comfort. After the child felt comfortable again, he or she would go and play with the toys again. • Insecurely Attached and Avoidant : In this category, children did not appear to be upset when the mother left the room and the stranger entered. When the children in this category would be upset, the stranger was able to comfort them. When the mother returned to the room, the children ignored her and/or proceeded to approach her with caution. • Insecurely Attached and Resistant : The children in this category, the children were very attached to their mothers, and didn’t want to leave her embrace to play with the toys and games provided. The mother left the room, and the child became very distraught. When the mother returned, the child was hesitant to return back to the mother. The child appeared as if they wanted to be picked up, but appeared to be confused, and became angry and agitated. • Social Referencing : This category is where the child will feed off the mother’s attitudes when it came to the stranger. The child would mimic the mother’s behavior. If the mother didn’t get anxious over the stranger neither did the child. When the mother became upset, the child would become upset.

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