Factors affecting Emotional development

Factors affecting Emotional development

Emotions are of paramount n human life. If an individual’s emotions do not develop in a balanced manner, the individual’s entire personality becomes disorganized, and many distortions manifest themselves. Emotion arouse in a person both constructive and destructive feelings. According to T.P. Nunn , A love, since it urges one to explore and develop the riches of its object, is a principle of growth, of expression; a hate, since its aim is to destroy relations with its object, so far doomed to sterility. C. V.Good defines emotional development as the process of psychic evolution that is the mature individual has progressed from infantile dependence to the capacity for assuming adult responsibility and forming adult love relationship.

There are various factors which influence the development of emotions of the child. The important ones are as follows:

1. Physical Development: The physical development of the child implies the general health. There is a positive correlation the good health of the child and the development of healthy emotions. Any physical deficiency of the child results in emotional imbalances children with a weak health or illness are more subject to emotional disturbances in comparison to healthy children.
            The normal functioning of the glands is very important for a normal emotional development any disturbance i.e., increases or decrease in their secretion affects the physical development of the body and creates problem in proper emotional development.

2. Mental development:  The mental development includes the intelligence and other aspects of the mental make-up of the child. It is the intelligence of the child which enables him to adjust to new situations in life. An intelligent child with his various mental powers is able to exercise control according to situation and  make proper use of emotions.

            This however, as Meltzer points out, is not true in the case of a child, who has a lower intellectual level. He has a less emotional control in comparison to the average or intelligent child.

3. The Family Atmosphere: There are various types of relationships in the family. Each influences the emotional development of the child. Children generally imitate the emotional behaviour of their parents and elders. The treatment meted out to them by their parents and other members of the family influences their emotional development. A healthy cordial atmosphere at home develops positive emotions among children, whereas conflicts and tensions in the family relations give birth to negative emotions. The order of birth (first or the youngest child), the size of the family, the socio-economic status of the family, the attitude of the parents (neglect, pampered, overprotected) have a vital influence on the emotional development of children.

4. Teachers and the School Environment: Teachers and the school environment play a determining role in the emotional development of the child. The teacher is a hero for the child. He imitates his various ways of behaviour and emotional expressions. Thus the personality of the teacher influences the emotional development of the child. Children stay in the school for the major part of the day. A healthy atmosphere at this place results in a balanced emotional development of children. The physical facilities provided for children in the school, the organization of co-curricular activities, the general social life of the school, the attitude of teachers towards students etc. influence the emotional development of children
In the school children also meet many students of their own age. They call them their ‘chums’. The emotional behavior of their Chums also influences their emotional behavior

5. Various Social Bodies and Emotional Development: There are various social bodies which have their influence on the emotional development of the child.

(a) The Neighbourhood. The child after leaving the portals of the family comes to the neighbourhood.  A healthy cordial atmosphere in the neighbourhood enables the child to have a rational attitude towards social problems and a rational expression of his/her emotions. If the people in the neighbourhood exhibit their outbursts of emotions, the child also develops the same emotional trends.

(b) The Community. Children belong to one community or the other. They consciously take the religious and general emotions of their community.

(c) The Society. As the children grow up, they meet various members of society. This wider contact with people also influences their emotional development. If the people are brave, civilized and fearless children express their emotions in much the same way.