lesson 5 psych Summary & Study Notes

🧭 Acknowledgement of Country

I respectfully acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation as the traditional custodians of this land and pay respect to their elders past and present. This acknowledges the strength, integrity and values of First Nations communities.

❓ Key Questions

Q1: Why is social behaviour defined as behaviour influenced by the actual, imagined or expected presence of others rather than only those physically present? Short answer: social influence can be indirect (beliefs, expectations, imagined observers) and still shape behaviour.

Q2: How do early behaviours like smiling and crying lay the foundation for later social interactions? Early signalling helps infants elicit caregiver responses, learn contingency, and practice reciprocal interaction patterns that scaffold later relationships.

Q3: Why does adolescence often produce tension between family and peers in social development? Adolescence involves identity formation and increasing peer influence, so priorities and loyalties may shift as independence and self-definition grow.

🧠 Definition & Study Design

Social development: the lifelong changes in skills that allow individuals to effectively and appropriately interact with others. The study of social development examines how biological, psychological and social factors shape interpersonal behaviour from birth through the lifespan.

👶 Early Social Behaviour (Infancy)

Social behaviour: any action influenced, directly or indirectly, by the actual, imagined, expected or implied presence of others. Much behaviour is social and is shaped by heredity, temperament, attachments and experience.

Smiling: Newborns show a reflex smile (simple mouth movement) in the first weeks. The social smile emerges around 4–6 weeks but becomes frequent and clear by about 3 months. By ~6 months infants recognise familiar people and selectively smile at them.

Crying: Initially crying has no clear social meaning for the newborn, but it becomes a communication tool. By about 3 months infants learn that crying elicits caregiver attention and can communicate needs. Responsive caregiving to crying helps strengthen infant–caregiver attachment; persistent caregiver frustration can weaken that bond.

🧩 Early Social Behaviour: Play (Parten’s Stages)

Play is a primary context for social learning. Mildred Parten described progressive types of play:

• Unoccupied play (0–3 months): Random movements, early sensory exploration.
• Solitary play (0–2 years): Playing alone with little interest in others.
• Onlooker play (2–3 years): Watching others play without joining.
• Parallel play (2–4 years): Playing alongside others with minimal interaction.
• Associative play (3–4 years): Some interaction and sharing but no shared goal.
• Cooperative play (4+ years): Organized, goal-oriented play with roles and teamwork (e.g. pretend play, team games).

🧒 Children (3–12 years)

Between roughly 3 and 6 years children refine social skills, learn to take initiative and may experience guilt when they perceive they have wronged others. From about 6–12 years the focus often shifts to achievements (academic, sporting) and social comparison. Children can develop pride in competence and begin evaluating themselves relative to peers.

🧑‍🎓 Adolescents (12+ years)

Adolescence is marked by exploration of identity, independence and social roles. Peers gain importance and can influence values, behaviour and self-concept. Romantic relationships often emerge and friendships deepen. Time spent with family may decline as peer and partner relationships are prioritised, which can create tension as adolescents negotiate autonomy and belonging.

🔬 Influences on Social Development

Key influences include:

• Biological factors: genetic predispositions, temperament and maturational changes.
• Psychological factors: personality traits, cognitive development and emotional regulation.
• Social factors: attachment relationships, peer interactions, school and community experiences, and media exposure.

✅ Key Takeaways

Social development is a lifelong, multi-factor process. Early signals like smiling and crying are foundational social tools that teach infants about contingency and relationships. Play provides the structured contexts for practising social skills, progressing from solitary to cooperative forms. Across childhood and adolescence individuals refine social competence, form identity, and negotiate shifting relationships with family and peers.