Emotional Development Across The Life Stages

Question 1

Infancy:

0-2years

Answer 1

ATTACHMENT:
Secure attachments = being able to cope with uncertainty in life. Bowlby argued that infants have an inbuilt need to form an attachment with a carer.
Quality of attachments may affect emotional development.

Question 2

Early childhood:

3-8years

Answer 2

UNDERSTANDING SELF AND OTHERS:
Children use imagination to understand social roles others play.
Idea of self-concept.
Relationships with family members may influence whether a child has a sense of self-worth.
The way a child gets in with others may influence their self-confidence. Either develop sense of confidence or sense of failure and inferiority.

Question 3

Adolescence:

9-18years

Answer 3

IDENTITY:
Develop a secure self concept in order to feel secure when working with other people or making a loving sexual attachment.
Maybe a stressful time as self esteem may depend on developing identity.

Question 4

Early and middle adulthood:

19-65years

Answer 4

INTIMACY:
Self esteem is influenced by lifestyle such as job status.
Self image is affected by personal appearance and how others see you.
Individuals need to learn to cope with emotional attachment to a sexual partner. This may involve not being too self-centred or defensive and not becoming emotionally isolated.

Question 5

Later adulthood:

65+years

Answer 5

MAKING SENSE OF YOUR LIFE:
Older people need a secure sense of self to enable them to cope with physical changes associated with ageing and death.
People who fail to make sense of their life might experience emotional despair.