Just over the past few decades, the study of emotional development on children and infants has began to grow. This explores the way that infants and children develop emotionally, differing on the question of whether emotions are learned or biologically predetermined, as well as questioning the way infants and children manage their emotional experiences and behavior. .
Psychologist start studying the emotions of infants from birth to six months. One problem they have is the interpretation of emotion must be limited to signs that can be observed, because a child's private feelings and experiences cannot be studied by researchers. They focus on the observable display of emotion like facial expressions and public behavior. By six to ten weeks infants start to make a social smile along with other pleasure- indicative sounds and actions. As infants become more aware of their environment, smiling occurs, like if they would see a toy that they have had a good experience with, or a familiar face like a parent or sibling. Laughter starts at the age of three to four months. It is a result of an action that the infant usually enjoys.
After early infancy ( birth to six months ) comes later infancy (seven to twelve months) comes Toddler hood (one to two years) the emotions are easier to observe. During the preschool years (ages three to six) they express there emotion and it is easier to get an emotional understanding. They are able to talk about there feelings and what is going on with themselves. Researchers are able to ask them questions and they are able to understand and respond to them. .
After reading this article I have learned a little more on Emotional Development and how it starts out at birth. This was a good article and I think it has helped me understand how emotions are studied at the early years of life.