Background Description
Emotional expressions are perceived to be an essential way of communicating an individual’s feelings to others. Internal feelings are communicated through facial expressions whereby a smile indicates that a child is happy while a frown on a child’s face shows that a child is sad. Another way through which a child can express emotions is bodily postures and gestures. From this notion we can say that emotions form part of social process. However, some expressions may not highlight adequately the kind of emotions an infant is depicting. There are various theories that explains how children develop emotions .Developmental theories of sentiments largely focus on emotions alterations as the child grows. Other perspective acknowledges the significant of evolutionary control upon emotional build up and behavior (Newman, 2008).
Differential theory stresses that an individual nervous system is usually influenced by physiological effects. Differential theories whose main ideas are drawn from Charles Darwin’s scientific study on human anatomy on facial expressions asserts that major sentiments which include anger, fear, disgust, sadness, contempt among others are as a resultant of activated neural circuits. Previous researchers have indicated that most of the predominant emotions are educed by certain events. Differential sentiments theories underline that, essential sentiments materialize during infancy and their build up is largely affected by neurophysiological establishments. This theory further provides that, some emotions are present at birth while others materialize as a child advances in life.
However, there are several limitations of the differential emotions theory as well as findings from other researchers. One of these limitations is that, not all facial lexis is evident in an infant until the child is beyond seven months old. Additionally, when an infant nears two years of age, she/he may try to hide their emotional lexis. Infant emotions are not automatic; they are triggered by certain forces. Scores of researcher have ascertained that the bonding relationship between a child and her/his parents contributes extensively to an infant emotional development. However, these studies have failed to highlight how infant’s social interactive activities triggers emotional development (Newman, 2008).
Much has been said on an infant development of emotions, how a child uses emotions to show anger, joy, satisfactions, pain among others. My research will go further to ascertain what triggers a child’s emotions build up as well as the role of mothers and caretakers behaviors and activities in enhancing a child’s emotions.
Research Question
What is the role of mothers and caregivers in enhancing infants’ positive emotional development? What socials interactive activities do they employ in order to promote the build up of infants’ emotions?
Hypothesis
When a parent, smiles, talks or looks at his/her child, the child responds through emotions. Therefore, social interactions are crucial in enhancing a child’s emotions build up.
Literature Review
According to Newman, infants cannot speak effectively until they are one year old. However, these infants are always ready to communicate with an affluent vocabulary whereby they utilize their body movements and visual reactions in order to communicate their emotions. From his book ‘development through life’, Newman indicates that, when a baby cries, yawns, twist up her/his face, twists his/her nose or illustrates a new expression, she/he is trying to react to the environment (Newman, 2008).
According to Newman, infants’ emotions are visible and they play an extensive role in teaching the caregivers to learn about their needs and intentions. Findings from different studies have indicated that a child’s smiles depicts satisfaction and joy while cries and twists on a child’s face express anger, pain, fear and sorrow. However, it becomes difficult for caregivers to determine what expression represents which emotions. A child changes environment immediately after her birth, the environment which she finds herself in is quite new and therefore she changes her expressions from time to time since these expressions are developed each minute of her life. Nevertheless, an infant is usually unaware of what expressions are seen on her face whenever she reacts to such things like taste, sights, touch scent or even sound (Newman, 2008).
According to the article by Emde, learning a child’s emotions is an adventure to the infant as well as their parents. However, if a parent pays closer attention to her baby as well as develop a bond, then she will be able to learn about her child’s emotions and at the same time link a reaction to a particular expression. Scores of investigators have proved that emotions are a way of responding to a child’s environment. Precisely, they form the basis of a child’s way of communication. When a parent pays close attention to her child, the child feels secure which subsequently causes the child to build up trust and autonomy. On the contrary, when a child receives less attention to his reactions, then there lacks an element of trust which then makes a child to develop distrust and reservations (Emde, 1998).
Previous studies provided in the article, ‘Critical importance of emotional development’ by Emde, have shown that children who lack positive emotional and social interactions lag behind in developing self-sufficiency. Emde asserts that infants’ dependency on caregivers extensively affects their motor and mental capacity. Additionally, children develop self doubt and lack personality understanding. This is because emotions aid comprehensively in defining a person’s individuality (Emde, 1998). Emotions are responsible in developing consistency and they also limit infants’ responsiveness and sensitivity as well as highlight steps through transition and development.
Though communication through their expressive behaviors may not be a reasonable language, it is the common language that helps parents and caretakers to understand a child’s emotions. Children also react to signals through emotions. According to Emde, children are social beings who have distinctive qualities which are geared up for shaping or in most situations be shaped (Emde, 1998).
Methodology
My research sample will include both middle aged and young mothers as well as infants below one year. The sample will be formed of mothers in formal employment as well as housewives.
Observations, Questionnaires and In-depth Interviews
In order to establish emotions development in an infant, I will observe the infants for two hours a day for a period of one weak. Observation will help in realizing what social actions trigger a child response to emotions.
To ascertain the role of caregivers in a child’s emotions build up, I will conduct both oral and written interviews. I will administer questionnaires whereby I will require the caregivers to answer questions in regard to the activities they employ in responding to a child’s emotions and behavior. Questionnaires will help in gathering quantitative data. The questionnaires will provide legible and comprehensible questions. The questions will be: What is their role in ensuring that a child’s emotional expressions are catered for? What goes on in their mind when an infant cries, moves, laughs or looks at them. What steps or actions follow after the mentioned actions? What do they do when a child demands attention? What social or interactive activities do they employ to their infants? How often do they spend their free time with their children?
In-depth interviews will be used to collect in-depth information from the sample. However, the interview will largely focus on gathering information. Through interviews I will get relevant information whereby I will be in a better position to seek for clarity on anticipated information. In- depth will also provide accurate information.
The above methods will be used to confirm my hypothesis
Prediction
The findings from my research will indicate that caregivers play a major role in emotions developments of an infant. Any activity and behavior directed to an infant by their parents’ triggers their emotions. If a parents looks at or talks to a child, a child will show automatic emotions and behaviors which indicates that a child is trying to respond back to their parents emotions and behaviors.
Conclusion
The methods of research provided will be used adequately and correctly in order to provide accurate results which will help in confirming the hypothesis therein. The participants will be informed on the aims and objectives of the research in order to ensure that relevant and accurate information is provided .The research that I will carryout will offer significant results which will help in establishing the relationship between children’s affective expressions and emotions development. It will also give a confirmation on why children who are extensively brought up by their parents build up emotions at an earlier age
References
Emde, R. (1998). Critical importance of emotional development: Early emotional development: new modes of thinking for research and intervention. Journal of the American academy of pediatrics. New York: Johnson Pediatric Institute. Vol.102 No.5
Newman, B. (2008). Development through life: A psychosocial Approach. London: Cengage Publishing.p167
