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  • Essay / The development of self-esteem in early childhood

    Table of contentsIntroductionSocial developmentCognitive developmentEmotional developmentCultural developmentConclusionIntroductionThe self-concept continually evolves and is shaped and reshaped by experience. This is an important step that must be taken because it establishes a sense of competence and identity. Previous research has suggested how self-esteem and development are interrelated, with low self-esteem linked to high-risk behaviors and social problems (Baby, 2012). This further signifies the importance of reaching this milestone, as not achieving it has negative effects later in life. Ideas of self-esteem and identity will be explored using the theories of Erikson, Vygotsky, Ainsworth and Bronfenbrenner in terms of social, cognitive, emotional and cultural development. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essaySocial DevelopmentSocial development plays an obviously important role in building a person's self-esteem and identity , because it shapes an understanding of the world through everyday experience. (Thompson, 2001). Erikson's (1968) stages of psychosocial development consist of eight sequential stages; each presents an obstacle that must be overcome for a functional personality to persist. In the second stage of Erikson's psychosocial crisis, autonomy versus shame and doubt, children become more curious about their environment and begin to explore it. The new sense of independence combined with encouragement from caregivers begins to develop the child's self-esteem and confidence. The need to gain peer approval continues in the fourth stage of Erikson's psychosocial crisis, industry versus inferiority; in which children feel the need to act in accordance with societal norms, upon achieving this they are overcome with a sense of accomplishment. If peers respond positively to a behavior, children feel more confident and hardworking, while criticism can cause the child to doubt their abilities, preventing them from reaching their full potential. Additionally, in Erikson's fifth stage, identity and role confusion, the focus is on the development of identity and self. The transition from childhood to adolescence occurs at this stage, presenting its own challenges. Individuals begin to think about the roles they will play in society and act in a value-consistent manner to avoid feeling excluded. The inability to establish a sense of identity leads to role confusion, which makes the individual uncertain about their place in society, resulting in feelings of unhappiness. People who fail to establish a sense of self-worth have low self-esteem and may experience social problems such as violence, high-risk behaviors and substance abuse, as well as mental disorders such as depression . Cognitive DevelopmentA decline in self-esteem is prevalent as children reach adolescence when they begin to develop cognitively. Children begin to evaluate themselves more realistically and thus begin to understand their academic skills, social skills, and other personal characteristics (Robins & Trzesniewski, 2005). According to Vygotsky's theory of sociocultural development (Vygotsky, 1978), cognitive development occurs in the child's zone of proximal development (ZPD), that is, an individual is unable to solve a problem independently, but is able to solve it with the helpof a more experienced individual. competent peer. The assistance provided is known as scaffolding, which consists of prompts to encourage the learner in an interactive setting. This technique has been shown to be effective in encouraging individuals and building their confidence, as seen in classrooms in Australia and New Zealand, particularly in cases where some members of the group are more competent than others .Palinscar, Brown, and Armbruster (1984) used scaffolding in the form of reciprocal learning to improve the comprehension skills of children experiencing difficulties in this area. Initially, teachers provided highly structured feedback and explicit modeling (Palinscar et al., 1984) and gradually students were encouraged to take more responsibility when carrying out the activities. The program was found to be very effective in improving comprehension skills, largely due to structured instruction (Stone, 1998). Children who participated in this program would have felt more confident in themselves because they would have been able to overcome comprehension difficulties and would therefore feel more on par with their peers in terms of academic abilities. The use of a zone of proximal development as well as scaffolding in educational settings allows children to feel more independent and confident, allowing them to successfully reach this milestone in terms of cognitive development. Emotional Development Establishing a positive parental relationship is imperative because it is the first of many crises that life faces. Its appearance is seen in Erikson's first stage, trust versus distrust, where an attachment forms between parent and child. This relationship can harm the way the child interacts with others throughout their life. Additionally, Ainsworth's (1978b) attachment styles demonstrate the dynamics of interpersonal relationships. The three initial attachment styles explored included secure, anxiety-resistant, and anxiety-avoidant attachment styles, but a fourth category, disorganized-disoriented, was later introduced by her assistant (Main & Solomon, 1986) . Secure attachment patterns are considered the most ideal, as children are able to explore their environment knowing that a caregiver will be there for them in times of distress. In contrast, anxious-resistant patterns consist of children refusing to be comforted by caregivers, and in anxious-avoidant patterns, children appear to lack involvement with their caregiver and display avoidant behaviors (Hoffnung, 2019 ). In the last category, disorganized-disoriented, we observe significant insecurity and confused, contradictory and insensitive behavior. Jakobsen, Horwood, and Fergusson (2012) examined the magnitude of the impact of parent-child attachment on the development of anxiety and depression later in life. A positive parent-child relationship during adolescence was found to buffer the effects of childhood anxiety on the development of anxiety and depression in adulthood. However, an insecure parent-child attachment style has been shown to be a catalyst for internalizing disorders as well as psychopathology (Jakobsen et al., 2012). The lack of a secure attachment style between parents and children can have detrimental effects on the child as he grows and gives rise to avoidant behaviors, which affect his ability to socialize with others. As a result, children are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety disorders, which ultimately harm self-esteem. Cultural development The theory of bioecological systems of.