affectivity is a term that derives from the word affective and affection. Designates the quality that encompasses all affective phenomena.
In the realm of psychology, affectivity is the individual capacity to experience a set of affective phenomena (trends, emotions, passions, feelings). Affection consists of the force exerted by these phenomena on an individual's character. Affection plays a crucial role in the human learning process, because it is present in all areas of life, profoundly influencing cognitive growth.
Affection empowers human beings to reveal their feelings towards other beings and objects. Thanks to affection, people are able to create bonds of friendship among themselves and even with animals irrational, this is because animals are also capable of showing affection to each other and to human beings.
The relationships and bonds created by affectivity are not based only on feelings, but also on attitudes. This means that in a relationship, there are several attitudes that need to be cultivated in order for the relationship to thrive.
One of the great thinkers who approached the concept of affectivity was the French psychologist Henri Wallon. According to Wallon, intelligence is not the most important element of human development, but this development depended on three aspects: motor, affective and cognitive. Thus, the biological and social dimensions were inseparable, because they complement each other. The evolution of an individual depends not only on the intellectual capacity guaranteed by the biological character, but also on the environment that will also condition evolution, allowing or preventing certain potentialities to be developed. Affection arises in this environment and has a great importance in education.
affectivity in education
Jean Piaget, Henri Wallon and Lev Vygotsky, famous authors and specialists in the field of education, gave affectivity a high relevance in the pedagogical process.
According to Piaget and Wallon, development takes place through several stages, and in these stages, intelligence and affectivity alternate in terms of importance. In the first year of a person's life, affection is predominant, as the baby uses it to express and interact with the surrounding world.
However, affectivity is not only important at this stage. Affection will determine the type of relationship between teacher and student, which will have a great impact on how the student acquires new knowledge.
For many years, the cognitive aspect has been the main focus of attention, and the evolution of the affective area is often forgotten, which prevents the student from reaching his maximum potential.
