Infant Toddler Learning & Development Foundations

Foundation: Empathy
The developing ability to share in the emotional experiences of others
8 months
At around eight months of
age, children demonstrate
awareness of others’ feelings
by reacting to their emotional
expressions.
For example, the child may:
• Stop playing and look at a child
who is crying. (7 mos.; American
Academy of Pediatrics
2004, 212)
• Laugh when an older sibling
or peer makes a funny face. (8
mos.; Meisels and others 2003)
• Return the smile of the infant
care teacher.
• Grimace when another child
cries. (Older than 6 mos.;
Wingert and Brant 2005, 35)
Chart continues on next page.
18 months
At around 18 months of age,
children change their behavior
in response to the feelings
of others even though their
actions may not always make
the other person feel better.
Children show an increased
understanding of the reason
for another’s distress and
may become distressed by
the other’s distress. (14 mos.;
Zahn-Waxler, Robinson, and
Emde 1992; Thompson 1987;
24 mos.; Zahn-Waxler and
Radke-Yarrow 1982, 1990)
For example, the child may:
• Offer to help a crying playmate
by bringing his own mother over.
(13–15 mos.; Wingert and Brant
2005, 35)
• Try to hug a crying peer.
(18 mos.; Thompson 1987, 135)
• Bring her own special blanket
to a peer who is crying. (13–15
mos.; Wingert and Brant 2005,
35)
• Become upset when another
child throws a tantrum.
• Gently pat a crying peer on his
back, just like his infant care
teacher did earlier in the day.
(16 mos.; Bergman and Wilson
1984; Zahn-Waxler and others
1992)
• Hit a child who is crying loudly.
• Stop playing and look with concerned
attention at a child who
is screaming.
• Move quickly away from a child
who is crying loudly.
36 months
At around 36 months of age,
children understand that other
people have feelings that are
different from their own and
can sometimes respond to
another’s distress in a way
that might make that person
feel better. (24–36 mos.; Hoffman
1982; 18 mos.; Thompson
1987, 135).
For example, the child may:
• Do a silly dance in an attempt
to make a crying peer smile.
(24–36 mos.; Dunn 1988)
• Communicate, “Lucas is sad
because Isabel took his cup.”
(36 mos.; Harris and others
1989; Yuill 1984)
• Comfort a younger sibling who
is crying by patting his back,
expressing “It’s okay” and offering
him a snack. (Denham
1998, 34)
• Communicate, “Mama sad”
when the mother cries during
a movie. (24–36 mos.; Dunn
1994; Harris 2000, 282).
• Communicate, “Olivia’s mama
is happy” and point to or
indicate the illustration in the
picture book. (24 mos.; Harris
2000, 282).
• Get an infant care teacher to
help a child who has fallen
down and is crying.
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SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT