J. Fortin - excerpt from Cultivating Emotional Vulnerability through Play:  Perceptions of Early Childhood Educators in the United States, Portugal, and China thesis for EMJMD Erasmus Mundus Thesis.

The father of analytical psychology, Carl Gustav Jung (1996; 2016) considered emotions as  “instinctive, involuntary reactions which upset the rational order of consciousness by their elemental  outbursts” (p. 35). Emotions arise without stimulus or the presence of others, however they are  predominantly social, even considered collective in nature (Jung, 2016; Lasky, 2000). Jung’s (2016)  theory of the collective unconscious deliberates the shared, subconscious experience of being human.  Including both “accumulated human wisdom which we unconsciously inherit” in addition to the  “common human emotions which we all share” (Jung, 2016, p. 35). In addition to such shared  surface level emotional experiences, Jung (1996) considered the deeper psychic system in a collective  unconscious. Considering the “collective, universal, and impersonal nature which is identical in all  individuals. This collective unconscious does not develop individually but is inherited” (p. 43). This  inherited, shared subconscious structure connects all humans through a complex emotional  framework. Jung’s (1996; 2016) work was foundational for psychologists to understand emotional and psychological development more deeply.

Hypothesized to have adapted to catalyze human response in critical interpersonal  encounters (Ekman, 1992), emotions are ever-changing, heightened states of being, which arise  through interactions with others in our immediate environments, social engagements, or reflections (Lasky, 2005, citing Denzin, 1984). Emotional responses surface in response to poignant experiences  – such as great accomplishments or loss, a moving piece of music, a glorious natural landscape, or a  powerful scene in a film or theatrical production. By reflecting on interactions between ourselves  and others, cluing into our emotions can provide “a window to help us understand the more subtle,  often unspoken elements in human interaction” (Lasky, 2000, p. 844), fostering deeper connections, improved self-awareness, and greater emotional competence and greater well-being. 

Theorizing that only experiences with emotional significance are impactful on children, specifically in play, Vygotsky (1978) considered emotions to be dynamic and multifaceted. Noting they bring out harmonies between “imagination and creativity, emotion and cognition” which are “inseparably connected to the child’s environment” (Hännikäinen & Munter, 2018, p. 4, citing  Vygotsky, 1978). One’s surrounding environment and culture greatly impacts their emotional  upbringing as the socialization of emotions are unconsciously interconnected with personal beliefs,  contexts, and culture (Lasky, 2000). By understanding the nature of emotions, we may nurture our own emotional competence, consider the development of educational practices surrounding social emotional learning, and conceptualize vulnerability and its role in classrooms and playful encounters. 

The power of emotions has long been studied, as they foster deeper meaning and  connectivity in the human experience. Scholars have found evidence of the interconnection of social  and emotional development with positive development indicators in children (Denham, 2006;  Savina et al., 2017) including stronger relationships (Lasky, 2000), improved physical and cognitive  development (Hewes, 2014, citing Diamond, 2007), and interest, concentration, and performance in  academic settings (Brackett & Simmons, 2015). Overall, emotional competence is considered a foundational component for lifelong learning (Franco et al., 2017) and is based off ones’ knowledge, understanding, intelligence, regulation, and expression of emotions (Franco et al., 2017; Hoffman, 2009; Morris et al., 2013; Williamson et al., 2019). The following section defines emotional competence to more deeply consider the benefits it provides in building and maintaining positive relationships and how it supports or hinders children’s learning. 

Considered the "missing piece" in educational environments, emotional competence can be understood as the ability to understand, regulate, and express emotions in ways that supports the successful execution of life tasks including building and maintaining healthy relationships, learning,  solving everyday problems, and “adapting to the complex demands of growth and development” (Elias et al., 1996, p. 2). By developing emotional competence, one gains mastery in the expression, identification, understanding and regulation of their own emotions (Franco et al., 2017), in addition to improving one’s ability to understand others’ emotional expressions (Saarni, 2000). Impulsivity  control, cooperation, self-care, and altruism all support emotional competence and lead to greater well-being through life even when factoring in the diversity of emotional processes and expressions cross-culturally (Hoffman, 2009). 

Emotional competence largely defines the success and quality of relationships throughout life (Saarni, 1990). Benefiting the negotiation of social exchanges, emotional competence goes beyond individuals’ emotional response to include “simultaneously and strategically applying their  knowledge about emotions and their expression to relationships with others” (Saarni, 1990, p. 116).  This can be seen in the seeming effortless charm and comfort of a skilled socialite, chameleoning through countless conversations, or ‘reading the room.’ Facilitating social meaning and enhancing our sense of belonging and quality connections in relationships throughout life is no small fear. Emotions offer reflective potential for our own self-understanding in addition to the communication they enable in relation with others (Lasky, 2000). 

Emotional competence is a crucial skill for children to develop. Considering the diversity of emotional expressions and processes, regulation, understanding, and intellect, emotional competence  provides a range of benefits, from academic achievement to overall well-being (Brackett &  Simmons, 2015; Franco et al., 2017). Franco et al. (2017) note that children with greater emotional competence develop enhanced cognitive and linguistic abilities and experience smoother life transitions; notably when transitioning from early care settings into primary school. Strong emotions in educational settings are linked with enhanced or derailed learning, as students’ interest and engagement, decision making, and overall health and well-being are impacted, in the classroom and  in their daily lives (Brackett & Simmons, 2015, citing Brackett & Rivers, 2014; Chernyshenko, et al., 2018; Marshall et al., 2015). Consider a student who attends class in a constant state of anxiety – whatever the underlying cause may be, this child will face greater barriers to focus and learn than a  peer who comes to class emotionally clear and ready to learn. Developing children’s emotional competence has the potential to support growth and development cross-sectionally.

References:

• Brackett, M. A., Simmons, D. (2015). Emotions matter. Educational Leadership, 73(2), 22-27.

• Chernyshenko, O., M. Kankaraš and F. Drasgow (2018). Social and emotional skills for student success and  wellbeing: Conceptual framework for the OECD study on social and emotional skills. OECD Education  Working Papers, No. 173, OECD Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/db1d8e59-en   

• Denham, S. A. (2006). Social-Emotional competence as support for school readiness: What  is it and how do we assess it? Early Education and Development, 17(1), 57-89. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15566935eed1701_4

• Ekman, P. (1992). An Argument for Basic Emotions. Cognition and Emotion, 6(3/4), 169- 200. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699939208411068

• Elias, M. J., Zins, J. E., Weissberg, R. P., Frey, K. S., Greenberg, M. T., Haynes, N. M., Kessler, R.,  Schwab-Stone, M. E., Shriver, T. P. (1996). Promoting Social and Emotional Learning: Guidelines for Educators. ASCD.

• Franco, M. G., Beja, M. J., Candeias, A., Santos, N. (2017). Emotion Understanding, Social  Competence and School Achievement in Children from Primary School in Portugal. Frontiers  in Psychology, 8(1376), 1-15. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01376  

• Hännikäinen, M., & Munter, H. (2018). Toddlers' play in early childhood education settings. In P.  K. Smith, & J. L. Roopnarine (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of play: Developmental and  disciplinary perspectives (pp. 491-510). Cambridge University Press.

• Hewes, J. (2014). Seeking Balance in Motion: The Role of Spontaneous Free Play in Promoting Social and Emotional Health in Early Childhood Care and Education.  Children, 1. 280-301. http://doi.org/10.3390/children1030280

• Hoffman, D.M. (2009). How (not to) Feel: culture and the politics of emotion in the American  parenting advice literature. Discourse, 30, 15-31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01596300802643058

• Jung, C. G. (1996). The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious. London. 

• Jung, C. G. (2016). The Quotable Jung. Princeton University Press.  

• Lasky, S. (2000). The Cultural and Emotional Politics of Teacher-Parent Interactions.  Teaching and Teacher Education, 16, 843-860. https://doi.org/10.101/S0742-051X(00)00030-5

• Lasky, S. (2005). A sociocultural approach to understanding teacher identity, agency and  professional vulnerability in a context of secondary school reform. Teaching and Teacher  Education, 21, 899-916. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2005.06.003

• Marshall, K., Wood, G., Read, J. C., Yarosh, S., Balaam, M., Lee, J. (2015). Supporting Children to  Engage in Play for Wellbeing. CHI EA '15: Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ACM Conference Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 2445-2448). https://doi.org/10.1145/2702613.2702658  

• Morris, C. A. S., Denham, S. A., Bassett, H. H., Curby, T. W. (2013). Relations Among Teachers’ Emotion Socialization Beliefs and Practices and Preschoolers’ Emotional Competence. Early Education, 24(7), 979-999. http://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2013.825186

• Saarni, C. (1990). Emotional Competence: How Emotions and Relationships Become  Integrated. In R. A. Thompson (Ed.) Socioemotional Development: Nebraska symposium on  Motivation. Thompson University of Nebraska Press, 115–161. 

• Saarni, C. (2000). Emotional competence: a developmental perspective. In (Eds.) R. Bar-On and J. D. A. The Handbook of Emotional Intelligence: Theory, Development, Assessment, and Application at Home, School, and in the Workplace. Parker, 68–91. 

• Savina, E., Wan, K. P. (2017). Cultural Pathways to Socio-Emotional Development and Learning. Journal of Relationships Research, (8)e19, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1017/jrr.2017.19

• Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard  University Press.

• Williamson, A., Gibberd, Al., Hanly, M. J., Banks, E., Eades, S., Clapham, K., Falster, K. (2019). Social and emotional developmental vulnerability at age five in Aboriginal and non Aboriginal children in New South Wales: a population data linkage study. International Journal for Equity in Health, 18(120), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-019-1019-x