University Essay: Social Development from Birth to 5 Years

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of social development from infancy through early childhood (birth to 5 years). It explores key concepts such as self-concept and self-esteem, highlighting their importance in a child's formative years. The essay examines the influences of the child's environment, including parental and guardian interactions, and the impact of these influences on the child's emotional and cognitive development. The essay also outlines developmental milestones at different age ranges, from childbirth to 5 years, detailing the physical, social, and cognitive changes that occur. The essay references key research studies and provides insights into the development of empathy, resilience, and the formation of social and emotional bonds during childhood.

Running head: SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
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Social Development
The development of the child in its formative years is influenced by the child‘s social and
physical surrounding and other upbringing influences as well as factors. There are certain
emotional development shape up the self-awareness certain characteristics during the
childhood and infancy. According to Montroy et al. (2016), development of the self during
the childhood has influence on the regulation of self and can be considered as the early
marker of later success in the life. Furthermore. There are development in terms of
behavioural self-regulation especially identified between the ages of three to seven. The
incorporation of the stimulation as well as the self-recognition which is the result of the child
is beginning to understand and recognize themselves. Furthermore, there are observable scale
errors in children that leads them to do things beyond their own physical length and
boundaries. All these factors lead to the building of self-concept in the infants as they start
thinking more intently about their own self (Berk, 2013). However, the surrounding
influences like watching the image of the self in the mirror and other factors may also
enhance the imagination about the self.
Self-esteem, is the basis on which a person makes another part of self-concept, which
is related with feelings as well as judgements about their won selves. Self-esteem is
intricately related with the development of the self which is a summation of the emotional
venture, changing psychological domains as well as self-acceptances (Berk, 2013). During
the formative years it is important for the parents and guardians to help their children to
engage in positive problem solving attitude and behaviours. According to Srivastava& Joshi
(2014), there is an important association with the high self-esteem and positive self-concept.
However, the challenges and the opportunities faced by the children in their lives could lead
to moulded considerations of self-concept and self-development. There are different kinds
and patterns of self-esteem developing over the ages in terms of childhood development.
However, there are important considerations to it can be analysed, like in age 1-2 years the
fact of sensitivity to others, organizational self-esteem, however, when the child goes to
11years of age there can be attributions of achievement as well as effort. There are certain
mastery oriented attributions that could lead to in improving oneself in achieving more.
However, there can be feeling of helplessness due to their inability to attain certain goals and
other aims.
According to (Rajan-Rankin, 2014), there are several personality traits and characters
that it is developed by the ability to be empathetic, reflexive as well as resilient. There are
some children who can bounce back as well as to the necessary investigation has to be
conducted to understand the emotional conflicts in a person as the resilience is dependent of
the quality to bounce which differs from person to person. During the transforming years of
child which is adolescence there are certain transforming attributes towards learning and
formation of habits which contribute towards the self-identity and social development of a
person (Illeris, 2014). Moreover there are other patterns like schooling and peer groups that
develop add up to the transforming of the self (Berk, 2013).

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Social Development Milestone from childbirth to age 5
Childbirth to 4th month: It could be understand that infancy is the formative years of child’s
life which is related with the recognition of the self and others and initial developmental
patterns are also seen in the child. The child’s physical characteristics include natural
response to the external stimulations for example the child shuts the eyes in exposure to
bright light, rolling from side to side and pattern of grasping objects by the hand. There is an
observable sleeping and eating patterns, in the child. Socially the child begins to make eye
contact, stares for a longer duration and develops emotions accordingly (Australian
Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority, 2019). The hearing reflexes develops and
also turns where the sound comes from. The emotional bonding is limited to expressing needs
of the child through crying whenever the child is hungry or feels uncomfortable (Adolph &
Robinson, 2015).
4th to 8th month: There are certain observable characteristics and the child is able now,
slowly recognise himself or herself. The physical attributes contributes towards crawling
movements and playing with feet and toes. The socially the child becomes able to react and
respond to his or her own name. The child begins relate the people, familiar to the child and
stretches arms around that person. The sleeping patterns begin to further become settled to
the day and night pattern. Cognitive patters involve touching and playing with toys and also
wants attention of the loved ones. There is developed social and mental cognition (Darling-
Churchill & Lippman, 2016).
8th month to 12th month: The child is now in abled position to stand and sit, the child begins
to throw and pick up small objects, could also crawling could be observed up the stairs. The
motor skills of the child strengthens. Shows the signs of anxiousness and stress in presence f
strangers and builds stronger connection towards the parents or the primary care giver. The
child is able to express interest in the images of the books and paintings. The child is capable
of choosing things and objects. Influence of the eating of pattern of the child can be
correlated with the psychomotor ability of the child (Schmidt Morgen, 2014).
1 to 3 years: The child developing the speech and able to feed themselves along with certain
physical characteristics, like climbing and begins to scribble over the walls. The speech
develops further leading the child to speak certain small sentences, like his name and now
able to express his needs verbally by communicating there is a demand of attention from the
elders.
3 to 5 years: The child is able to get ready and dress himself with litte help and effort, the
cognitive ability develops, and the child learns faster. The child is further able to imitate elder
people. Understands emotional and cognitive bonds (Australian Children’s Education & Care
Quality Authority, 2019).

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References:
Adolph, K. E., & Robinson, S. R. (2015). Motor development. Handbook of child psychology
and developmental science, 1-45.
Darling-Churchill, K. E., & Lippman, L. (2016). Early childhood social and emotional
development: Advancing the field of measurement. Journal of Applied
Developmental Psychology, 45, 1-7.
Illeris, K. (2014). Transformative learning and identity. Journal of Transformative Education,
12(2), 148-163.
Montroy, J. J., Bowles, R. P., Skibbe, L. E., McClelland, M. M., & Morrison, F. J. (2016).
The development of self-regulation across early childhood. Developmental
Psychology, 52(11), 1744.
Rajan-Rankin, S. (2014). Self-identity, embodiment and the development of emotional
resilience. The British Journal of Social Work, 44(8), 2426-2442.
Schmidt Morgen, C., Andersen, A. M., Due, P., Neelon, S. B., Gamborg, M., & Sørensen, T.
I. A. (2014). Timing of motor milestones achievement and development of
overweight in childhood: a study within the D anish N ational B irth C
ohort. Pediatric obesity, 9(4), 239-248.
Srivastava, R., & Joshi, S. (2014). Relationship between self-concept and self-esteem in
adolescents. International Journal of Advanced Research, 2(2), 36-43.

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