The development of social understanding

Abstract

If we are to cope with other people and manage relationships it is vital that we develop social understanding. Although we are born with a strong predisposition to relate to other people, the ability to fully realise this potential depends heavily on our experiencing good quality social relationships with parents and family during the first years of life. In this chapter we explore how children develop social understanding and social empathy. Not only does this process allow children to make psychological sense of other people and social situations, it also binds them into the moral fabric of social relationships. Children who develop high levels of social empathy tend to be more co-operative, considerate and compassionate in their dealings with others. In short, their moral sensibilities appear to be well developed. But as we shall see, children unlucky enough to experience disturbed and deficient relationships fail to develop such a strong sense of social understanding and this adversely affects their ability to deal with family, friends and social situations.