Social Development Skills - Essay Example

Social Development Skills Social Development Skills The term “infant” may refer to children aged 0-12, 24, or 36 months depending on the source, but the first option is the most common. During the first year of life, a child will begin to develop social skills and relationships. The majority of infant social development takes place through interactions with his or her parent(s) (Crockenberg & Leerkes, 2000). Other relationships that are involved in social skill development include those with alternative caregivers, relatives, and peers.

Personal temperament is an influence on social skill development as some children may be inherently difficult, exuberant, or timid and withdrawn (Stroufe, 1985). The environment, parents, and cultural traditions can also affect the infant’s temperament. An infant is primarily egocentric (self-focused) though their social interactions display sharing and empathy at times.Infants develop a sense of trust and form attachments with significant others. In instances of neglect and/or abuse it is likely that children will develop unhealthy attachments (avoidant or anxious-ambivalent) instead of healthy, secure ones.

This theory has been a hot topic of investigation since its introduction by John Bowlby (1969) and several strategies for achieving healthy attachment have been proposed as a result.In cultures where it is normally acceptable, the act of touch is an important requirement for strengthening attachment-based relationships, as is consistently responding to cries or other signs of seeking attention. It is important that caregivers are aware of the cultural home environment of an infant when interacting with them.

It is also important to be aware of the effects that the environment has on a child’s temperament, and to develop strategies to account for these variables, such as by making the areas of interaction aesthetically pleasing. ReferencesBowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Volume 1: Attachment. The International Psycho- Analytical Library, 79, 1-401.Crockenberg, S., & Leerkes, E. (2000). Infant social and emotional development in family context. In C. Zeanah Jr., Handbook of infant mental health (pp. 60-90). New York, NY: US.

Stroufe, L. A. (1985). Attachment classification from the perspective of infant-caregiver relationships and infant temperament. Child Development, 56(1), 1-14.