Emotional, Social, and Moral Development in Children
BLOCK IV
IV.2) Emotional Development, Affective Personality, and Development in School: Self-Concept, Strategies for Improvement, and Intervention
Preschool children typically describe themselves in physical terms, focusing on external attributes such as physical appearance and activities. These are the primary means by which they distinguish themselves from others. As children mature, their self-concept evolves, becoming more focused on psychological and social aspects.
Around ages 6-8, children begin to describe themselves as individuals with unique thoughts, desires, and feelings. By age 8, they can differentiate between physical and psychological characteristics. Their sense of “I” becomes grounded in internal, psychological attributes rather than solely external, physical ones. Alongside this psychological development, children also begin to explore the social dimension of their “self,” describing themselves as members of social groups and families.
As adolescence approaches, children start to conceptualize their “self” in terms of interpersonal feelings and the quality of those relationships. For example, a preschooler might describe another child as their friend simply because they sit near them in school. In contrast, an older child’s definition of friendship involves a deeper understanding of connection, such as sharing toys, learning together, and having shared experiences.
These advancements in self-awareness are intertwined with a child’s growing cognitive abilities and increasingly rich and diverse social interactions. Around ages 6-7, the development of logical thinking leads to qualitative changes in self-knowledge. Additionally, the ability to take on different perspectives allows children to consider how others perceive them.
Finally, the capacity for introspection, which emerges during adolescence, represents a crucial step in enriching self-knowledge. This leads to the debate surrounding the stability of the self. Some argue that the self is a product of social comparison and therefore constantly changing. For instance, a child with average intelligence might perceive themselves as less intelligent when compared to a gifted peer, but more intelligent when compared to someone with lower cognitive abilities. Conversely, others believe in the inherent stability of the self, arguing that once defined, differentiated, and organized, it becomes resistant to change. While social comparison undoubtedly plays a role in shaping the self, it’s also true that a well-defined and organized self-concept tends to remain relatively stable, especially if the child’s social environment remains consistent.
IV.3) Social and Moral Development: Stages of Moral Reasoning, Prosocial Reasoning, and Conventional Rules
IV.3.1) The Stages of Moral Development
While Freud and Kohler offer valuable insights into moral development, Piaget’s perspective uniquely connects cognitive development to morality, distinguishing between heteronomous and autonomous morality.
- Heteronomous Morality: Prevalent in children aged 6-7 (coinciding with the development of logical thinking), this stage is characterized by:
- Moral Egocentrism: Children cling to their own beliefs and perspectives as absolute truths, viewing their feelings with unwavering certainty.
- Moral Realism: Rules established by authority figures are perceived as absolute and unchangeable, leading to a morality based on obedience.
- Moral Autonomy: Emerging during the concrete operational stage, this stage reflects a more flexible understanding of rules. Children recognize that rules are not absolute and can be modified with the consent of those involved. This leads to a more cooperative and flexible approach, where peer relationships and solidarity gain importance. Children strive for equality and mutual respect. Moral autonomy develops through cooperation and the consideration of diverse viewpoints.
Piaget posits that during adolescence, individuals progress to personal morality, characterized by the ability to form independent judgments and engage in actions that may deviate from societal norms. This stage is marked by the formation of personal ideals and a strong sense of individuality.
IV.3.2) Prosocial Reasoning and Conventional Rules
Nancy Eisenberg defines prosocial reasoning as voluntary acts performed without the expectation of personal gain. These acts, such as sharing, helping, comforting, and showing empathy, are altruistic in nature, driven by a genuine desire to benefit others. For children to develop prosocial behavior, it’s crucial to positively reinforce empathy and altruism while discouraging aggression.
Empathy, as highlighted by Rogers and earlier by Montesinos, involves understanding and sharing the feelings of others, seeing them as individuals worthy of compassion and support. Altruism, a term coined by Auguste Comte, emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the well-being of others over self-interest. Educators play a vital role in fostering prosocial behavior by encouraging empathy, altruism, and cooperation while discouraging aggression and egocentrism. A child’s normal development hinges on the cultivation of these qualities.
IV.4) Development and Training of Divergent Thinking and Creativity
Cognitive styles, as described by Fierro, significantly influence learning and academic performance. Here are some key cognitive styles:
- Dependence/Field Independence: Field-dependent individuals tend towards intuitive and global processing, while field-independent individuals favor analytical and critical thinking.
- Reflectivity/Impulsivity: Reflective individuals carefully consider all options before acting, while impulsive individuals act quickly based on initial hypotheses.
- Simplicity/Cognitive Complexity: This refers to the number and variety of concepts individuals use to understand the world. Cognitive complexity is associated with greater maturity.
- Flexibility/Rigidity of Thought: A flexible cognitive style, characterized by openness and adaptability, is generally considered more desirable than a rigid, authoritarian style.
Other perspectives on cognitive styles include:
- Information Processing (González Pineda): Deep (meaning-oriented), surface (fact-oriented), and strategic (combining both) processing styles.
- Intelligence and Personality (Stenberg): Legislative (creative), executive (rule-following), and judicial (evaluative) styles.
Creativity, as described by Torrance, involves identifying gaps or inconsistencies, generating hypotheses, testing them, and communicating results. Gardner emphasizes problem-solving and innovation as hallmarks of creativity. Stenberg views creativity as the ability to restructure problems and approach them from novel angles.
From a cognitive perspective, creative individuals tend to be original, independent, open to new experiences, flexible, intuitive, and skeptical. In terms of personality, they are often drawn to paradoxes, driven by achievement, emotionally mature, and sensitive.
To foster creativity in children, it’s essential to provide them with freedom, encourage critical thinking, and discourage egocentrism. Creativity flourishes in environments that value empathy, altruism, and the pursuit of truth, beauty, and justice, as emphasized by Rogers and Maslow. By nurturing these qualities, we empower children to become compassionate, innovative, and engaged individuals.