Children's Social Competence

Research has shown that one of the most important aspects of a child's development is with regard to socialization. Children need to have conversations and interactions with other people. This allows the child to learn to walk, to speak, to feed itself, and other behaviors which are only learned by modeling from other human beings. Conversely, it has been shown that children who have less socialization in their formative years are more likely to develop abnormally (Brower 2001). They might become introverted teens and adults or even descend into acts of violence. Interaction with other people is what establishes our feelings of empathy and sympathy. Without these emotions, we are unable to relate to other people and as we get older only look for ways to satisfy our own needs and not considering the consequences to others.

This is seriously concerning because bullying has become a rampant problem in the United States and around the world. The advent of social media and constant interactions via technology, teens and young children are always in contact with one another. This can be beneficial if the interactions are positive. However, they can easily descend into cyber bullying wherein one person or several attack another child via social media. This can include posting negative comments, posting pictures or videos, and encouraging other young people to behave the same way.

In 2012, the National Academy of Science determined that lack of social interaction can actually impact the development of the brain (Bardin 2012). Children who are not given proper interaction with parents or other children are prone to develop mental and neurological disorders including anxiety, depression, and other associated conditions. This same study demonstrated that children who were taken from dysfunctional homes at as young as two still exhibited characteristics of an under developed brain, indicating that interactions need to happen frequently and from the moment the child is born.

Works Cited

Bardin, J. (2012). Social deprivation hurts child brain development, study finds. Los Angeles

Times. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jul/24/science/la-sci-orphan-brains-20120724

Brower, M.C. & Price, B.H. (2001). Neuropsychiatry of frontal lobe dysfunction in violent and criminal behavior: a critical review. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry. 71. 720-26.