As we know, children develop in several different domains over the course of their lifetime. Understanding how technology fits into this development is certainly challenging. But what about technology & emotion?
Socio-emotional development is so very important to child, as this is the area of development that allows them to truly explore who they are. They search for answers to questions they have never asked before, they are thinking in ways they have never thought before, it's exciting. However, how can technology aid in the development of one's emotions?
Most believe that technology is keeping children from forming proper and lasting attachments with important people in their lives. Attachment is one of the foundational pillars of a relationship, and attachment issues usually affect more developmental domains throughout life. So the question I ask is "Are kids benefiting or being harmed (in a socio-emotional sense) when technology interferes with attachment?"
The picture below expresses the stages that Erikson believes people must work through in order to fully develop socio-emotionally. In each stage there is a crisis that must be resolved and without proper resolution, issues in development arise. For example, a child who struggles overcoming in the crisis of toilet training in Autonomy vs Shame & Doubt stage, they could have problems with bed wetting far into their middle childhood years. Does technology limit us or speed us through these stages? Does it depend on the person?
Most believe that technology is keeping children from forming proper and lasting attachments with important people in their lives. Attachment is one of the foundational pillars of a relationship, and attachment issues usually affect more developmental domains throughout life. So the question I ask is "Are kids benefiting or being harmed (in a socio-emotional sense) when technology interferes with attachment?"
The picture below expresses the stages that Erikson believes people must work through in order to fully develop socio-emotionally. In each stage there is a crisis that must be resolved and without proper resolution, issues in development arise. For example, a child who struggles overcoming in the crisis of toilet training in Autonomy vs Shame & Doubt stage, they could have problems with bed wetting far into their middle childhood years. Does technology limit us or speed us through these stages? Does it depend on the person?
For more information on Erikson and other theorist with ideas on Emotional/Identity development you can visit my blog ModernDayMotherGoose, by clicking here.