Early Child Learning of Social and Cognitive Skills

Abstract

This entry stresses the importance of the learning of early communication skills such as joint attention, social referencing, and vocalizations and provides some language and skill‐teaching techniques. From a behavior‐analytic approach, this entry also highlights the learning of social skills (such as infant imitation), play, advanced language skills (such as echoics, manding, tacting, interverbals, autoclitics, and naming), autonomy, self‐regulation, and rule‐governed behavior. Studies on the learning of infant attachment, fear, empathy, and perspective taking are outlined. The last section discusses some of the typical child behavioral disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder, attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder, and identifies behavior‐analytic interventions. The behavior‐analytic framework of this entry contrasts with the popular stage theories in mainstream development and provides clinicians, psychologists, and behavioral practitioners with strategies they can use to minimize potential pivotal skill deficits in children.