Infant Toddler Learning & Development Foundations

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
22
Identity of Self in Relation to Others
Behaviors leading up to the
foundation (4 to 7 months)
During this period, the child may:
• Use hands to explore different
parts of the body. (4 mos.;
Kravitz, Goldenberg, and Neyhus
1978)
• Examine her own hands and a
parent’s hands. (Scaled score
of 9 for 4:06–4:15 mos.;* Bayley
2006, 53)
• Watch or listen for the infant
care teacher to come to meet
the child’s needs. (Birth–8 mos.;
Lerner and Dombro 2000, 42)
*Four months, six days, to four months, 15 days.
Behaviors leading up to the
foundation (9 to 17 months)
During this period, the child may:
• Play games such as peek-a-boo
or run-and-chase with the infant
care teacher. (Stern 1985, 102;
7–11 mos.; Frankenburg and
others 1990)
• Recognize familiar people, such
as a neighbor or infant care
teacher from another room, in
addition to immediate family
members. (12–18 mo.; Parks
2004)
• Use names to refer to significant
people; for example, “Mama” to
refer to the mother and “Papa”
to refer to the father. (11–14
mos.; Parks 2004, 109)
Behaviors leading up to the
foundation (19 to 35 months)
During this period, the child may:
• Recognize his own image in the
mirror and understand that it is
himself. (Siegel 1999, 35; Lewis
and Brooks-Gunn 1979, 56)
• Know the names of familiar
people, such as a neighbor. (by
end of second year; American
Academy of Pediatrics 2004,
270)
• Show understanding of or use
words such as you, me, mine,
he, she, it, and I. (20–24 mos.;
Parks 2004, 96; 20 mos.; Bayley
2006; 18–24 mos.; Lerner
and Ciervo 2003; 19 mos.; Hart
and Risley 1999, 61; 24–20
mos.; Parks 2004, 113)
• Use name or other family label
(e.g., nickname, birth order,
“little sister”) when referring to
self. (18–24 mo.; Parks 2004;
24 mo.; Lewis and Brooks-
Gunn 1979)
• Claim everything as “mine.” (24
mos.; Levine 1983)
• Point to or indicate self in a
photograph. (24 mos.; Lewis
and Brooks-Gunn 1979)
• Proudly show the infant care
teacher a new possession.
(24–30 mos.; Parks 2004)