Development Through Social Interaction and Attunement

It is vital for humans to practice attunement within social interactions through the developing years of their lives. Attunement is when humans synchronize their movements and emotions with others (Haidt, 2024). Similar to mirroring, babies attune to their parents in ways that teach them motor skills, the meaning of emotions, and how to stay safe. This also applies to older children and teenagers who look up to role models. They learn from their role models and synchronize their decision-making development around what they learn from those they look up to.

The use of smartphones, and thus the rise of social media, is becoming a distraction during the time where attunement practice should be prioritized in a human’s life. Instead of practicing attunement with their babies and toddlers through read-alouds, facial expression identification practice, and interactive playing, parents are sitting on their smartphones scrolling on social media while keeping their children distracted with their own screens. This causes the baby to miss out on attunement practice with those they are bonded with, and the opportunity to create foundations for emotional self-regulation and attachment later in life (Haidt, 2024).

            Furthermore, attunement is also necessary during another period where brain plasticity and development are heightened: adolescence. This is also the period in life where a person usually obtains a smartphone and is legally allowed to participate in online social media platforms. Instead of teens gaining attunement from their parents, elder family members, a coach, teacher, or realistic mentor, they follow influencers on social media that promote unrealistic and morally disruptive expectations, decision making, and personality traits. The use of smartphones and social media during adolescence distracts from a valuable time to find one’s individual calling and meaning in life by disrupting opportunity for in-person social interaction with a realistic, personal mentor (Haidt, 2024). 

            If you wish to learn more about development through social interaction and attunement, feel free to call 708-633-8000 to book an appointment at Olive Branch Counseling Associates. Our therapists offer a wide variety of services via telehealth and also at our office located at 6819—167^th St. in Tinley Park, IL 60477. We are happy to serve you!

Myleigh, undergrad intern, 2025

Olive Branch Counseling Associates, Inc.

Reference:

Haidt, J. (2024). The anxious generation: How the great rewiring of childhood is causing an

            epidemic of mental illness. Penguin Random House.