Emotional Development: The Organization Of Emotional Life In The Early Years (cambridge Studies In Social And Emotional Development)

In the past, researchers have treated the development of the emotions and the task of emotional regulation as two separate topics, the former emphasizing "normative" questions and the latter emphasizing "individual" differences. Until now, understanding the first topic has never been seen as relevant for the second. This is the area pioneered by Emotional Development. This book presents the early phases of emotional life from a developmental perspective. It argues that emotional generation hinges on the developing ability to express arousal or "tension" in accordance with one's context. It reveals the common core processes underlying the emergence of specific emotions and the capacity for emotional regulation. The book also explains the timing of emotional emergence, why emotions function as they do, and individual styles of emotional regulation. Close ties between emotional development, cognitive, social and CNS development are discussed, as well. In The Past, Researchers Have Treated The Development Of The Emotions And The Task Of Emotional Regulation As Two Separate Topics, The Former Emphasizing Normative Questions And The Latter Emphasizing Individual Differences. An Understanding Of The First Has Not Been Seen As Relevant To The Second. By Bringing Them Under The Perspective Of Development And Emphasizing Common Core Processes, Emotional Development Illuminates Both Topics. All Emotions Are Expressions Of Arousal, Or Tension: Whether A Given Emotion Can Or Does Occur Depends On The Developed Capacity To Generate Tension And On The Meaning Of An Event In Its Context, Which Changes With Age. Emotional Development Reveals The Common Core Processes Underlying The Emergence Of Specific Emotions And The Capacity For Emotion Regulation. It Explains The Timing Of Emotional Emergence And Why Emotions Function As They Do; It Also Explores Individual Styles Of Emotional Regulation. Close Ties Between Emotional, Cognitive, And Social Development Are Discussed As Well. This Book Will Appeal To Professors, Graduate Students, And Clinicians Who Study Developmental, Cognitive, And Social Psychology. 1. A Developmental Perspective On Emotions -- 2. Conceptual Issues Underlying The Study Of Emotion -- 3. Emotion And The Organization Of Development -- 4. An Organizational Perspective On The Emergence Of Emotions -- 5. The Development Of Joy: A Prototype For The Study Of Emotion -- 6. The Development Of Fear: Further Illustration Of The Organizational Viewpoint -- 7. The Interdependence Of Affect And Cognition -- 8. Meaning, Evaluation, And Emotion -- 9. The Social Nature Of Emotional Development -- 10. Attachment: The Dyadic Regulation Of Emotion -- 11. The Emergence Of The Autonomous Self: Caregiver-guided Self-regulation -- 12. The Growth Of Self-regulation -- 13. Summation. L. Alan Sroufe. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 239-258) And Index. In the past, researchers have treated the development of the emotions and the task of emotional regulation as two separate topics, the former emphasizing 'normative' questions and the latter emphasizing 'individual' differences. Until now, understanding the first topic has never been seen as relevant for the second. This is the area pioneered by Emotional Development. This book presents the early phases of emotional life from a developmental perspective. It argues that emotional generation hinges on the developing ability to express arousal or 'tension' in accordance with one's context. It reveals the common core processes underlying the emergence of specific emotions and the capacity for emotional regulation. It explains the timing of emotional emergence, why emotions function as they do, and also explores individual styles of emotional regulation. Close ties between emotional development, cognitive, social and CNS development are discussed, too. The subject of this book is human emotion, with a focus on the early years.