Early Childhood: Social Development

A person's childhood shapes much of their personality and determines who they become later in life. For this reason, early childhood social development has become increasingly important to individuals interested in the emotional and mental well-being of children. When a baby is first born, their most prominent social need is connection and bonding with their caregivers. However, as children get older, they begin to branch out and establish other social relationships.

  1. Developmental Stages

    • According to the Childhood Development Institute, there are two primary stages children go through within their first seven years of life--the sensory motor stage and the preoperational period. During the sensory stage, kids will engage in parallel play. This means they will play beside each other with little or no interaction. However, in preoperational stage, they have more of a desire to play with others and start to establish ideas about friendship.

    Autonomy

    • The older children become, the more likely they are to seek out autonomy and independence. This stage is often more difficult for the parent, who often mistakes their child's independence as rejection. Autonomy, which is essentially self-government, can also lead to temper tantrums when a child is denied something that they feel is within their right.

    Gender Identity

    • Although the exact cause of gender identity remains unknown, it is believed that a child's gender identity is established through early childhood social development. According to the book, The Psychology of Personality, gender identity plays a prominent social role. It is through observing social behavior that children determine what is acceptable for their gender.

    Considerations

    • Social development is also influenced by the economic status of a family. For example, children who lived during the Great Depression were adversely affected if their fathers experienced job loss and economic deprivation. The psychological stress of the father influenced the social development of both boys and girls, and these children were more likely to have problem behaviors. This was especially true in preschool-age children.

    Learning Abilities

    • The Society for Research in Child Development states that a child's social skills and development is linked to their learning abilities. By the time a child has reached the age of three, psychologists can determine how well they will do academically based on their social interactions. Early childhood development strategies are vital to ensuring the future health and emotional welfare of children.

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