Social Development

Social development is the progression of social and emotional knowledge, skills, and competencies across the life span that enable individuals to interact with and form relationships with others. From infancy through adulthood, this complex process sets the foundation for learning and individual well-being and influences many facets of life, including family, peer, and romantic relationships; school readiness and achievement; employment and effectiveness in the workplace; and community engagement. The term social development encompasses a wide range of interrelated core competencies that are salient across the life course, such as the ability to share enjoyment, [Page 2042]read social cues, regulate emotions, show empathy, and form positive relationships with peers. An increasingly robust body of neuroscience and genetic research indicates that social development has a biological foundation but is also highly influenced by the environment, particularly adult–child interactions and other relationships early in life. A compelling body of work posits that social development is the foundation for learning, that is, it enables, or is essential, for learning across the life course. Research regarding adults’ social ties has documented the profound benefits of strong social ties for adults of all ages, and particularly for older adults. The research base linking social development to health, learning, and well-being has catalyzed a new body of evidence focused on intervention for social–emotional development and social–emotional learning from early childhood and across adulthood. This entry reviews the components of social development; the biological underpinnings and environmental factors that shape social development; the progression of social development across the life course, including its impact on a range of outcomes across the life span; and interventions that promote healthy social development.