The Power of Emotional Expression in Early Childhood Development
The Power of Emotional Expression in Early Childhood Development

The Power of Emotional Expression in Early Childhood Development

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  • Pages: 5 (1181 words)
  • Published: September 26, 2017
  • Type: Case Study
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Psychologists and scientists recognize emotion as crucial for survival and growth, functioning as a form of communication, particularly during early childhood when language abilities are limited. A newborn's cry of distress can indicate the necessity for assistance from a caregiver, while a baby's smile can elicit love and care from those in their surroundings.

The role of different forms of expression, such as voice, face, gesture, and posture, remains essential in conveying emotions and influencing behavior as communication evolves. Emotions can hold tremendous power over those around us; while a scream of fear may cause panic, a smile can create an instant bond between strangers. However, at times our emotions can become overwhelming and work against our best interests. Although experiencing various types of emotions provides valuable learning experiences, they can also alter our perspectives and ways of thinking. This ra

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ises the question: how do emotions impact our ability to reason and acquire knowledge? The answer is that emotions can both aid and hinder reasoning because feelings are automatic responses based on personal values that sometimes replace reasonable thinking. When someone experiences an emotion, they often view it as reliable insight and act upon it without further contemplation.

Experiencing strong emotions can overpower rational thoughts and cause a prejudiced interpretation of the world. For instance, when two individuals who harbor feelings for each other agree to enter into a romantic relationship, they might perceive themselves as being profoundly in love. But if one of them observes their partner displaying fondness towards another person, they could feel emotionally let down which may alter their perspective on the relationship.

After much reflection, the individual concluded that the couple's relationship centered

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solely on physical desire. They believed their intuition was reliable and impulsively acted upon it, convinced that the ex-partner was unscrupulous. Unfortunately, this destructive jealousy overtook sound judgement and led to the dissolution of their previously flourishing relationship. Regrettably, they failed to realize that their jealousy was unfounded as the supposed "rival" was actually a long absent family member returning home after a year of traveling. Emotions have the power to override reasoning by convincing one to accept false truths.

Emotions can impact perception of concepts and facts, potentially causing crucial details to be omitted or bias towards reinforcing preconceived ideas. This is exemplified by the historical anti-Semitism against Jews, which emerged in Europe during the late Middle Ages due to envy towards their success in trade, banking, and money lending based on their religious and racial identities.

Throughout the 14th century, Jews faced expulsion from different areas such as England (1290), Germany (1350's) and France due to economic animosity and religious bias. Nonetheless, whenever Jews were indispensable, they were permitted to stay. Despite residing on society's periphery, Jews performed a vital function in commerce and trade that was significant for economic activity. They prospered both culturally and financially wherever they could participate in society until an ambitious German leader became envious.

Adolf Hitler, the fascist leader of the German Nazi party, cunningly manipulated German citizens to support his agenda of exterminating Jews through his book Mein Kampf. His ideology convinced Germans that killing all Jews was crucial for purifying and saving the German people. This false belief led many Germans to blame Jews for their problems, ignoring evidence that contradicted their position and succumbing to emotion over

reason. However, emotions can also improve our capacity to reason.

Emotions serve as a motivator, driving concentration towards important topics that impact one's life. A significant instance is the influence of self-perception on the perception of the world around us. Negative emotional states may cause comments to be interpreted as validation of such feelings.

When you hear a comment, it can feel like an attack or put-down, depending on your mood at the time. If you are feeling happy and confident, the same statement may be perceived less harshly. Unfortunately, perceiving comments as attacks can confirm negative self-beliefs and lead to feeling worthless and unlikable. Emotions can also help with focus on details.

As automatic responses, certain details are brought to one's attention that are relevant or important, providing hints on what to focus on for improved understanding and knowledge. Notably, returning to the same mood experienced during initial learning can aid in better memory retention. This is due to the fact that emotions experienced during learning are linked to memory formation and can serve as triggers for recall.

If one has a negative attitude towards a particular subject, it can greatly impact their overall achievement in that class. Take math for example, some people enter the classroom with a negative mindset and view solving equations as boring and unfulfilling. This attitude then leads to actions such as not completing assignments or studying for upcoming tests, resulting in poor grades. I can relate to this scenario as I have experienced a decline in my math performance over the years due to negative attitudes and laziness.

According to William Glasser's Control Theory, our genetic structure contains powerful forces that

constitute our basic needs [Glasser 1986]. Glasser stated that our behavior is always our best attempt at satisfying these needs and will vary depending on how well they are met in our current life situation.

It is evident that receiving a unsatisfactory grade on a report card can cause feelings of self-doubt. The feeling of embarrassment, for instance, has the ability to guide one's attention towards previous errors and offer insight on what needs to be improved upon in order to gain a deeper comprehension. Additionally, emotions serve as a support system for one's rationale by serving as pre-programmed assessments that provide access to past thought processes, acting as a second opinion.

If there is a discrepancy between your emotions and reasoning when you evaluate something (e.g. liking someone despite not being able to think of any positive traits), it could be a flaw in either. Your current reasoning may be overlooking something important or previous reasoning may have been flawed due to lack of information. Emotions can serve as a double-check for reasoning. In conclusion, emotions are open to all and can be just as effective as other methods, even perceived as stronger since they are their own outcome while other methods serve different purposes.

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