How Culture Impacts Social and Emotional Development During Infancy

Culture plays a significant role in attachment during infancy. In most cultures, separation anxiety decreases between 6 and 15 months of age. There are two evolved cultural pathways of attachment including tactile contact and visual contact. My cultural pathway of attachment is more of Gemeinschaft environment since I come from a rural place with less technology and education. We are also relatively self-contained, our economy depends on social activities and social relations are most lifelong. In our culture, touch I viewed as a baby’s lifeline and a salient language that connects a child to a parent. The experience of each touch fosters a stronger bond.

In my culture, cultural socialization begins at a very young age. By using more tactile contact with babies, the infants in my community are trained to be more interdependent. Mothers believe that children come into the world when they are interdependent. Thus they have to rely on their parents through tactile attachment. Building an attachment with the baby is significant in providing them security and support. During infancy, babies engage in activities such as crying, grasping, rooting, and crying. Tactile contact is one of the most critical ways that caregivers in my community respond when infants want closeness. During this time a child responds to a parent’s touch and may begin to feel secure.

The want for closeness and touch from my parents has significantly shaped my social and emotional development over time. During childhood, touch-enabled me to understand that it was safe and protected. This in turn helps me develop trust with my parents and other people. Through physical touch, I developed strong attachments which acted as a foundation for my current adult relationships. The interactions between me and my parents significantly fostered the neurodevelopment in my brain areas which helped in enhancing my current socio-emotional development.

Reference

Vasquez-Salgado, Y. (2021, January 4). Social & Emotional Development in Infancy (Part 2) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD_jAxttAfo&feature=youtu.be