PSYCH211 Chapter Notes - Chapter 10: Moral Development, Empathic Concern, 6 Years

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH211
• Professor: Kathleen Bloom

Document Summary

Emotional and social development in early childhood: erikso(cid:374)"s theor(cid:455): i(cid:374)itiati(cid:448)e (cid:448)s. guilt. Erikso(cid:374) des(cid:272)ri(cid:271)ed earl(cid:455) (cid:272)hildhood as a period of (cid:862)(cid:448)igorous u(cid:374)foldi(cid:374)g. (cid:863) o(cid:374)(cid:272)e (cid:272)hildre(cid:374) ha(cid:448)e a sense of autonomy, they become less contrary than they were as toddlers. Their energies are freed for tackling the psychological conflict of the preschool years: initiative vs. guilt. He regarded play as a means through which young children learn about themselves and their social world. Play permits preschoolers to try new skills with little risk of criticism and failure. It also creates small social organizations of children who must cooperate to achieve common goals. To avoid punishments and maintain the affection of parents, children form a superego/conscience by identifying with the same-sex parent. For erikson, the negative outcome of early childhood is an overly strict superego that causes children to feel too much guilt because they have been threatened, criticized, and punished excessively (cid:271)(cid:455) adults.