How does selfregulation
develop?
As children develop, their
regulatory skills become
more sophisticated (Kopp
1982; Blair & Diamond
2008). Infants begin to
regulate arousal and
sensory-motor responses
even before birth. An infant
may suck her thumb after
hearing a loud sound, indicating that she is regulating her
responses to the environment. Toddlers start to inhibit
responses and comply with adult caregivers. By age 4, children
begin to exhibit more complex forms of self-regulation,
such as anticipating appropriate responses and modifying
their responses when circumstances are subtly different.
For example, clapping is appropriate after someone speaks
during sharing time at school, but not while a teacher is
giving directions.