“Growth of self-regulation is a cornerstone of early childhood development and is visible in all areas of behavior” (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000) Throughout the course of a person’s life, they will face many situations where self-regulation of the emotions is needed to make decisions that can determine a positive outcome of a given situation. Most adult are able to think about the consequences of their actions before a situation gets out of hand. They have, through experience, the understanding and knowledge that for every action there is a reaction and the decision you make at this given time may affect some other aspect of your life. An example of this would be a scenario where a person is driving and someone cuts them off. The outcome of a crisis situation such as this depends on the action of the person who was cut off. Some adults will react aggressively as in instances of “road rage.” A more mature adult would simply count to ten and continue as if nothing untoward happened. To be faced with this type of experiences is why development of good emotional self-regulation and secure attachments is important for children to learn and important for adults to practice. According to Santrock, children are faced with emotions that range from anger and frustration to joy and excitement that starts in infancy where emotions are rooted in the more primitive area of the brain, the limbic system. As the child grows and learns through experiences such as social referencing, changes in their brain will help in gaining better control of their “mood swings” (Santrock, 2013). In studying child development, self-regulation and secure attachments factor into the child’s overall health, physical and emotional well-being, and cont... ... middle of paper ... ...t, K. (2008, December 29). Borderline personality. Retrieved March 27, 2014, from About.com: http://bpd.about.com/od/glossary/g/emotreg.htm Santrock, J. (2013). Emotional development. In Child Development, An Introduction (14e ed., pp. 281-311). McGraw Hill. Shonkoff, J. P. (2000). From neurons to neighborhoods: the science of early childhood development. Free Executive Summary. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Shonkoff, J., & Phillips, D. (2000). From neurons to neighborhoods: the science of early child development / Committee on Integrating the Science of Early Childhood Development; Jack P. Shonkoff and Deborah A. Phillips, editors. Washington D.C.: National Academy Press, c2000 (2002 printing). Tools of the Mind. (2012). Self-Regulation - Tools of the Mind. Retrieved from Tools of the Mind: http://www.toolsofthemind.org/philosophy/self-regulation/
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Shaffer, D. R., & Kipp, K. (2014). Infancy. In Developmental psychology: Childhood and adolescence (p. 158). Australia: Wadsworth.
Relationships are the building block for personality and are significant in children’s ability to grow into substantial individuals who can thrive in an often harsh world. Constructing lasting and fulfilling relationships is an integral part to development as the interpersonal bonds forged are not only highly sought after but also set the ground work for all upcoming expressive interactions. Relationships and attachment go hand in hand as attachment is the strong and lasting linkage established between a child and his or her caregiver. Moreover, attachment significantly influences a large capacity of ones make up as it these first relationships that teaches morals, builds self-esteem, and develops a support system. The pioneers of Attachment Theory realized early on that human beings are not solely influenced by drives but that the earliest bonds formed by children with their caregivers greatly impact their ability to forge lasting relationships later in life. John Bowlby was first to introduce this theory to the masses in the 1950’s, and later Mary Ainsworth conducted further research to expand on Bowlby’s theory which proclaims that attachment is a “lasting psychological connectedness between human beings” (Bowlby, 1969, p. 194). The attachment bond theory by both Bowlby and Ainsworth focuses on the significance of the relationship between babies and their caretakers which research has suggested is accountable for influencing impending interactions, firming or injuring our capabilities to concentrate, being aware of our emotional states, self-soothing capabilities, and the capacity to be resilient in the face of hardship. Additionally, this research has provided a framework for assisting in describing these att...
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It has been proven that a child’s early years are the peak at which the mind can bend and shape, creating the foundation for a life. We know now that even before birth, the mind is a delicate matter that if improperly taken care of could alter a person’s entire life. Nourishment and stimulation before and after the birth of a child mold’s the brain in its most malleable state. Medical and scientific institutes paired with parenting information organizations have made information readily available for parents, childcare providers, and students to advise them of the importance of childhood brain development. This information is not only critical for the child, but for the person they will become in the future.
According to this theory, external forces can influence the development of emotions. A child can mature a lot quicker when they are placed in an environmen...
Attachments are formed with parents; this contributes to give a sense of who we are and who we will become in later life. However where these attachments are broken the child needs to have a secure attachment established with an alternative adult care giver,...
Attachment is described as the close emotional bond between two people and Attachment Theory (AT) generally concentrates on the early bonds in a person’s development as well as the effects that these bonds have on later socio-emotional development. While emphasis on attachment as an antecedent for future behavior and personality has decreased somewhat in recent years, it is interesting to note that the DSM IV-TR includes a “reactive attachment disorder” which it states is caused when extreme circumstances prevent proper attachment development.
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Peterson, Candida C., James L. Peterson, and Diane Seeto. Child Developement. Vol. 54. N.p.: Blackwell Publishing, n.d. JSTOR. Web. 29 Sept. 2011.