Lecture 8 - Emotional Development Flashcards by P Man

What are Emotions?

Combination of physiological and cognitive responses.

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What makes up emotions?

Neural Responses (Amygdala Activation)
physiological factors (Tachycardia)
Subjective Feelings (Fear)
Urge to Act (Run)
Expression (Mouth Gaping)

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What are Basic Emotions?

innate emotions that were/are important to survive.
Present across all cultures.

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What makes up Basic Emotions?

Happiness
Anger
Fear
Disgust
Sadness
Surprise

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What is the caveat of emotions that are not Basic in nature?

Not culturally universal
Develop later in life
Are either a combination of basic emotions or variation of intensity of a basic emotion.

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How do we understand emotions in babies?

By using a coding system based on facial expressions seen in adults (for comparison) and linking facial expressions/muscle movements to certain emotions.

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What are the two emotional states that are innate? How are they demonstrated?

Positive & Negative. Through Approach & Withdrawal/Cry Behaviour.

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What is the only emotion we are truly born with?

Happiness.

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Why can’t we say for certain we are born with Sadness?

Since crying is a sign of distress and not indicative of an expression of anger or sadness.

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What is the emotional emergence timeline and how is it measured.

A predictable sequence over the first year of life wherein 6 basic emotions emerge.
First incidence measured by when a child first shows facial expressions tied to a certain emotion.

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Why is Happiness Adaptive?

Helps us approach situations that will increase our chances of survival.

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Happiness Timeline

Birth: Smiles are reflexive and provoked by biological states (satiated)
2-3 Months: Social Smiles emerge when interacting with parents.
5 Months: First laughs. What a child finds funny is based on language and cognitive development.

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Why is Anger Adaptive?

Allows us to defend ourselves and overcome obstacles.

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Anger Timeline

4 Months: First expression.
2 years: Peak in tendency to react with anger via facial expressions.

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What are the Terrible Two’s?

Around age 2 anger reactivity is high, since children cannot properly communicate and express themselves.

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Why is Fear Adaptive?

Motivates us to escape danger and solicit protection.

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Fear Timeline

7 Months: First Expression.
8 Months: Fear of strangers and separation from caregivers (lasts until 15 months).

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What is the connection between fear and happiness development?

Both what makes us laugh and feel scared changes as we age.

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Why is Surprise Adaptive?

When things function contrary to our beliefs, we are forced to learn.

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Why is Disgust Adaptive?

Helps us avoid bacteria, poison and disease.

Why is Sadness Adaptive?

Elicits comfort from others. Not seen before object permanence, hence why it is a reaction to separation.

What is Disgust often first expressed towards?

Food

Self-Conscious Emotions

Emerge once a child has a sense of self (18 months) and an appreciation of what caregivers’ expectations are (2 years).
Consist of Guilt, Shame, Embarrassment, Pride, Empathy.

Guilt

Feelings of regret relating to own behaviour with desire to reconcile.

Shame

Self-oriented feeling of failure associated with desire to hide consequences.

Which emotion is healthier between guilt and shame?

Guilt

Give examples to link how parental reactions affect guilt/shame feelings

If emphasis is on action, child feels guilt. If emphasis is on behaviour, child feels shame.

What are the cultural differences in self-conscious emotions?

Individualistic Cultures: Pride Collectivistic Cultures: Guilt & Shame.

How do Infants Recognise Emotions in Others?

Infants learn to Recognise Emotions in others before they can express them (observational learning). 3 Months: Happiness, Anger, Fear 7 Months: Disgust, Sadness, Surprise

Social Referencing

Stems from ability to Recognise Emotions in parents. Infants use tone of voice and facial expressions in order to interpret how to act.

Social Referencing & Visual Cliff

Infants more confident if parent has reassuring, positive facial expressions. Demonstrates that children can distinguish between emotional states and rely on parents' reactions for how to proceed.

What are two emotional recognition abilities that develop at 5?

the ability to understand that people can feel more than one emotion at once + the ability to distinguish between real and fake emotions.

What drives the two abilities that present at 5?

Display Rules: Understanding of where, when and how to express emotions. Crucial for interactions and socialisation.

What can children learn from false emotions?

How to display their own false emotions

Emotional Regulation

Set of emotions used to manage conscious and unconscious emotions expression. Gradual development throughout childhood.

Co-Regulation

Parents helps regulate child's emotions by soothing/distracting.

What is unique about the 5 month mark and emotional regulation?

Rudimentary ability to self-comfort and self-distract.

What is unique about the 6-8 year mark and emotional regulation?

Children can use cognitive and problem-solving strategies to regulate emotions.

Why is emotional regulation important?

Higher overall well-being More socially adaptive, better liked Better academic performance

How does emotional regulation develop?

Motor Development: Greater ability to move allows us to better self-soothe/distract. Increased Parental Expectation: Children expected to improve at regulating emotions and internalise these expectations. Cognitive Development: Improve Attention and Inhibition.

What did the Pager study show about Teen Emotion?

Teens reported briefer yet more intense emotions. hence, they are more moody.

What did the longitudinal study show about Teen emotion?

Happiness Decreases Anxiety and Sadness Increases Anger prevalent during early adolescence.

Implications of Teen Emotion Findings

Hard to distinguish between normal negative emotions and mental health issues. Noticeable gender differences (worse in females) + struggling to cope with changes lead to depression.

What is noted about impulsivity in teens?

Across culture and time teens have seen increased impulsivity, which follows a mountain trajectory.

What is a benefit of impulsivity?

Encourages exploration

What Three domains change leading to change in teens' emotions?

Cognitive (Advanced abstract thinking allow for multiple interpretations) Social (Stronger drive for autonomy, less time with family, school becoming more challenging). Neurobiological changes in limbic system (emotional + reward processing) and Prefrontal Cortex (executive functions + self-awareness).

What causes changes in Limbic System?

Synaptogenesis of Dopamine Receptors. Nucleus Accumbens Activation positively associated with risk-taking.

Why is PFC relevant?

Unmyleniated and not synaptically pruned PFC is immature until mid 20, leading to poor Inhibition, impulse control and planning.

Implications of Neurobiological underdeveloped nature?

Emotional Changes can be attributed to maturational mismatch between PFC and Limbic System (Limbic System First). Heightened Emotions and Reward Processing with underdeveloped Self-Awareness and Executive Functioning.