Early Moral Development in Infancy: Psychological and Social Foundations

Introduction

Developmental psychology is a complex study that includes various stages of human life. A personality starts to progress from early childhood and continues to the elder periods. To ensure the right and smooth maturing, the infancy phase should be taken into account strictly. It is one of the most crucial times because the identity’s mental state starts to form and impacts the other life stages.

The Role of Parents and Social Environment in Early Moral Development

Early moral development involves different vital aspects that parents and professionals should consider. A person is surrounded by a social environment that shapes their right-minded skills (Limone & Toto, 2022). It is one of the drivers that impacts the evolution of psychological health.

The process of setting includes moral reasoning, which initiates the first displays of compassion and caring in children (Killen & Dahl, 2021). Interaction between infants and family members is crucial because it increases the quality of principles of right and wrong that are grown in the temper (Tadjuddina et al., 2019). As a result, parents play the most crucial role as they exemplify ethical manners for their babies.

The Impact of Physical Interaction and Care on Children’s Moral Growth

However, behavioral aspects are not the only factors influencing early moral formation. Physical interaction, like touch, is also a decisive element in the development process. Newborns learn human social peculiarities through touches and other sensitive interactions (Narvaez et al., 2019).

The most pivotal thing in children’s right-minded maturing is a gradual process with specific stages. They are taking care of an infant, affecting them, promoting welfare, and judging positive and negative behaviors (Dahl et al., 2021). For this reason, parents must acquire specific psychological skills and knowledge.

Conclusion

In conclusion, moral aspects are crucial in successfully developing a full-fledged person. Consequently, the childhood period as a starting point should be particularly considered. Early age psychological evolution requires specific attention because, at this time, core identity’s moral principles are acquired. Parents should refer to professionals to maintain a smooth and quality upbringing process. If this life phase is ignored and not fully worked, there is a threat of negative impact on a person’s further age stages.

References

Dahl, A., Martinez, M. G. S., Baxley, C. P., & Waltzer, T. (2021). Early moral development: four phases of construction through social interactions. University of California. Web.

Killen, M., & Dahl, A. (2021). Moral reasoning enables developmental and societal change. Perspectives on psychological science: A journal of the association for psychological science, 16(6), 1209–1225. Web.

Limone, P., & Toto, G. A. (2022). Origin and development of moral sense: A Systematic review. Frontiers in psychology, 13. Web.

Narvaez, D., Wang, L., Cheng, A., Gleason, T. R., Woodbury, R., Kurth, A., & Lefever, J. B. (2019). The importance of early life touch for psychosocial and moral development. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica, 32(16), 1-17. Web.

Tadjuddina, N., Elfiahb, R., Meriyatic,M., Wekked, I. S., &Saregare, A. (2019). The interaction of children’s early moral development process through a holistic approach. International journal of innovation, creativity and change, 8(9), 126-142. Web.

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PsychologyWriting. (2025, May 30). Early Moral Development in Infancy: Psychological and Social Foundations. https://psychologywriting.com/early-moral-development-in-infancy-psychological-and-social-foundations/

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"Early Moral Development in Infancy: Psychological and Social Foundations." PsychologyWriting, 30 May 2025, psychologywriting.com/early-moral-development-in-infancy-psychological-and-social-foundations/.

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PsychologyWriting. (2025) 'Early Moral Development in Infancy: Psychological and Social Foundations'. 30 May.

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PsychologyWriting. 2025. "Early Moral Development in Infancy: Psychological and Social Foundations." May 30, 2025. https://psychologywriting.com/early-moral-development-in-infancy-psychological-and-social-foundations/.

1. PsychologyWriting. "Early Moral Development in Infancy: Psychological and Social Foundations." May 30, 2025. https://psychologywriting.com/early-moral-development-in-infancy-psychological-and-social-foundations/.


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PsychologyWriting. "Early Moral Development in Infancy: Psychological and Social Foundations." May 30, 2025. https://psychologywriting.com/early-moral-development-in-infancy-psychological-and-social-foundations/.