Socialization and Socioemotional Development in Chinese Children

Description

Children's early temperamental characteristics have a pervasive and enduring impact on the development of socioemotional functioning. Through socialization and social interaction processes, cultural beliefs and values play a role in shaping the meanings of socioemotional characteristics and in determining, in part, their developmental patterns and outcomes. This Element focuses on socialization and socioemotional development in Chinese children. The Element first briefly describes Chinese cultural background for child development, followed by a discussion of socialization cognitions and practices. Then, the Element discusses socioemotional characteristics in the early years of life, including temperamental reactivity and self-control, mainly in terms of their cultural meanings and developmental significance. Next, the Element reviews research on Chinese children's and adolescents' social behaviors, including prosocial behavior, aggression, and shyness and discusses the implications for socialization and socioemotional development. The Element concludes with suggestions for future research directions.