The Key Aspects Of Emotional Development - 2409 Words

In this essay I will be discussing the key aspects of emotional development and giving examples through different research studies that have been conducted. I will also be looking at a few different theorists associated with emotional development. Any developmental theory is expected to be related to a common view of emotion. Theories of emotional development can be put into two distinct groups, which stem from Watson’s (1929) and Bridges (1932) work. Throughout this essay I will be discussing the different areas of development that have been influenced by emotional development including, Attachment, Moral Reasoning, Cognition, Individual differences, and Personality Development. Because emotions have many qualities and differ greatly in†¦show more content†¦For example, there is some disagreement as to how much of a role cognition plays in the experience of emotion. Furthermore, there are questions concerning whether emotions are innate or learned and about when and in what form different emotions develop during infancy. When do emotions appear in infants? This debate still continues. For example, smiles occur early, but most are more likely reflexive than social. A smile can express emotion at 6 weeks of age but psychologists believe it is not until approximately 6 months of age that a smile can be regarded as emotional and social in nature. Crying is a strong emotion for infants and can be used to communicate. The first emotions that infants express are pleasure, fear, anger, distress and interest. At about 3 to 4 months of age infants express laughter. Negative emotions develop soon after, with anger the most prominent negative feeling. Negative emotionality explains individual differences in children’s tendency to experience negative emotions, and includes the beginning, intensity, and duration of emotions (Rettew McKee, 2005). Fear and frustration are the most commonly researched components of negative emotionality. Research looking at direct relations between fear and adjustment in older children has discovered that, more fear related directly to higher internalizing as