Prosocial Development Processes in Young Children - Coursework Example

Prosocial development processes Prosocial development processes Introduction The main aim will be to discuss processes of prosocial development in children. Prosocial development is synonymous with altruism, which refers to the ability to recognize and respond to needs of others. While children are characterised by egocentrism, they can learn to help others through modelling, parenting styles, emotional socialization and sensitivity. The role of parents in the development of prosocial behavior in children will also be established, in addition to other factors. Processes of prosocial development in children The development of prosocial behavior is always a complex process that involves a number of interrelated factors. To engage in altruistic behavior one must be able to recognize the need, process it, and take relevant steps towards addressing it. Cognitive ability, emotional capacity, and certain social skills are some of the major processes that foster prosocial development in children. Cognitive ability To make a decision to offer assistance, one must be able to recognize a need (Wardle, 2003). A child should be able to interpret a certain social phenomenon as an emergency that require their attention. However, this depends on the ability of the child to reason rationally, and makes informed decisions. Apart from recognizing a need, a child should be able to determine whether they have the capacity to offer assistance. A number of factors affect the cognitive development in children. These include the parenting styles, such as authoritative, which trains children how to reason, become independent, mature up, and gain emotional stability. Play and other forms of games also assist in fostering cognitive development. For this reason, such children are able to recognize other people’s needs and take necessary steps. Emotional capacity Empathy is an important emotional factor that helps in understanding the feelings and experiences of others (Ramsey, 2002). For instance, a child is able to have compassion for others, and motivated to act. Parents enhance the emotional development during their interaction with children. For instance, they encourage children to express their emotions, while at the same time controlling negative feelings (Ramsey, 2002). Further, when parents respond to emotional needs of children, they prompt the replication of such behavior in future. As a result, children are also able to respond to emotional needs of others. Prosocial skills The prosocial skills of sharing, cooperation, helping, giving, conflict resolution techniques and effective communication are all importance in fostering prosocial behavior (Kostelnik, et AL., 2001). Most of these prosocial skills are fostered when children are encouraged to interact with their colleagues. Through play, a child learn how to share and work as a team to accomplish certain goals. Children also learn how to help through modelling. For instance, parents who take part in voluntary activities within the community are likely to raise children with prosocial behavior tendencies. Role of parents in promoting prosocial behavior in children Parents play an imperative role in fostering prosocial behavior in children. Parents have an ability to create strong attachment with children especially during the first year of development. Strong bonds between parents and children have been associated with development of prosocial behavior. Parents act as role models. Since children learn from observation, parents who demonstrate altruistic behavior motivate children to respond to other’s needs. Engaging in voluntary behavior and subsequent explanation of its importance will act as a motivation to help in future. Parents contribute to child’s prosocial behavior through a number of factors as discussed below: Modelling Modelling is based on assumption that children learn through observation (Gnepp, 2002). They ape the behavior in their surrounding and replicate it in similar situations. Parents who engage in prosocial behaviours are more likely to have children who can respond to needs of others. At the community level, parents may take active role in helping orphans and vulnerable children in places such as children homes. They may also respond to the needs of street beggars, while at the same time participating in social and economic development projects in church or other places. Engaging in voluntary services has also been associated with raising children who have altruistic tendencies. Children observe parents as they engage in such desirable altruistic activities, and may get motivated. Parents can therefore promote prosocial behavior by ensuring that children are present when they perform such voluntary actions. However, the altruistic behavior of the parents needs to be accompanied by other factors in order to motivate children to actively respond to needs of others. This may include explaining to children about a specific altruistic behavior, and its importance. Through this, children may develop empathy, which is vital in understanding and responding to other’s needs. Sensitivity and attachment Children, like adults, have different psychological, emotional and physical needs. They need food, warmth, comfort, and a sense of security. Parents should be able to needs such as emotional distress when it arises. This kind of sensitivity to the needs of children has a huge impact in the promotion of prosocial behaviour. Several studies have indicated that sensitivity to children’s needs is associated with increased levels of trust, compassion, sharing and eventually altruistic behavior (Hoffman, 2001). Such children are also likely to become sensitive to the needs of others since they have been socialized in a similar manner. For instance, at the age of 3, children are able to begin demonstrating prosocial behavior. Hence, the ability of a child to demonstrate altruistic behavior to community members will depend on how sensitive parents were to their needs. It is vital that parents also take time to allow children express their emotions. Responding to a child’s emotional instability, such as distress, will also make such children become sensitive to other’s emotional needs. Parenting styles There is a correlation between parenting styles and prosocial behavior (Raikes, 2001). Authoritative parenting styles are perceived to produce children who are mature in terms of emotion stability and cognitive development (Raikes,2001). This is attributed to the fact that authoritative parenting style involves engaging a child in reasoning together. Through this, a child is able to understand their mistakes, why it is undesirable, and why punishment has been administered. This assists in raising children who are rational, emotionally stable, and who do not fear their parents. As mentioned before, cognitive development is important in recognizing the needs of others in society. It assists children in information processing, and making rational decisions. On the contrary, authoritarian parenting style has been associated with children who are dependent, fearful and passive (Raikes, 2001). Parents exert a lot of control in children, and sometimes resort to harsh punishment when controlling undesirable behavior. Such parents may also not be keen on establishing strong bonds with their children, which as mentioned before, is associated with prosocial behavior. Parents may not respond to child’s distress, or foster child’s reasoning (Cartledge, & Milburn, 2003). In most cases, authoritarian parents do not reason with their children in a view to explain why a certain behavior is undesirable. This kind of environment hinders the child’s ability to participate in many social activities, or being sensitive to other’s needs. Therefore, parenting styles play an imperative role in fostering prosocial behavior. Parents should seek to ensure that children learn how to reason, are trained to become autonomous, and establish strong emotional attachment with their children. Emotional socialization Emotional socialization is conceptualized as the ability of a child to recognize, assess, understand and control any negative feelings (Marion, 2003). Children are emotional beings, and just like adults, are affected by negative emotions. For instance, an angry child may engage in violent behavior due to lack of emotional control. Parents should be keen to look at such aggressive tendencies. When a child is able to understand his/her emotions, they are also more likely to be sensitive to that of others. For instance, they can recognize a person who is hungry or traumatized. The children also develop empathy, hence being able to feel others’ experiences (Marion, 2003). Parents should therefore foster expression of emotions, regulation of undesirable emotions, promote maturity, avoid situations that elicit rejection feeling in children and use best methods of instilling discipline. This, coupled with other factors, such as modelling, promote prosocial behavior. Other factors affecting children’s prosocial development Play Play has been associated with cognitive and emotional development in children (Klein, Wirth, & Linas, 2003). Through interaction with others, children develop their reasoning, which affects their behavior. The development of prosocial behavior is largely linked to social skills such as communication, healthy interaction with others and sharing. These skills manifest when children engage in different kinds of play. To foster prosocial behavior in playing, parents, teachers and other caregivers promote games that require sharing of resources (Klein, Wirth, & Linas, 2003). This may include football. Playing also contribute to other prosocial skills such as cooperation and helping. Children learn how to be kind, share, give or show concern to others. It is through playing that children learn how to control their negative emotions, such as anger. In school, for instance, teachers assist children in becoming rational by fostering conflict resolution techniques. They learn how to negotiate, and find amicable solution instead of fighting. Cooperation, sharing, and reasoning help in promotion of altruism. Parents should therefore encourage their children to play. Environment and school curriculum School plays an imperative role in fostering prosocial behavior. However, this will depend on the class environment and the curriculum. To foster prosocial behavior, an environment that encourages sharing and cooperation should be created. For instance, children should be encouraged to share scarce resources such books and toys. Cooperation may also be fostered through certain games that require children to work as a team. Teachers can narrate stories that depict prosocial behavior, and engage children in analysis. This helps in understanding importance of helping the needy in society. The school curriculum should also promote lessons that train children how to take care of environment, and especially voluntary community work (Herr et al., 2001). In conclusion, parents play an imperative role in promoting prosocial behavior in children. They establish strong relationship with children, which foster trust and a sense of security. Authoritative parenting style helps in raising children who are mature, independent and rational. The cognitive ability, emotional capacity and prosocial skills are the main processes that determine prosocial behavior in children. References Berk, L. (2002). Infants, children, and adolescents. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Cartledge, G., & Milburn, J. (2003). Teaching social skills to children. New York, NY: Pergamon Books, Inc. Edwards, C., & Raikes, H. (2002). Extending the dance: Relationship-based approaches to infant/toddler care and education. Young Children, 57 (4), 10-17. Gnepp, J. (2000). Children’s social sensitivity: Inferring emotions from conflicting cues. Developmental Psychology, 19, 805–814. Gnepp, J., McKee, E., & Domanic, J. A. (2002). 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