CHARACTER EDUCATION AND CHILDREN'S SOCIO-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE SOCIAL INTERACTION ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

This study investigates the extent to which character education contributes to children’s socio-emotional development within social interaction frameworks. Drawing on a literature-based analysis, the research explores how moral instruction fosters core emotional competencies including empathy, emotional regulation, moral reasoning, social awareness, and conflict resolution. The review reveals that when character values are integrated into classroom environments, children are better equipped to manage peer relationships, resolve disagreements constructively, and engage ethically in group settings. Key dimensions of socio-emotional growth are shown to be activated by consistent moral modeling, reflective practices, and cooperative learning structures embedded in value-centered instruction. The study highlights the reciprocal dynamic between self-concept formation and social behavior, noting that children internalize moral identities which in turn guide their relational responses. Inclusive classrooms that emphasize fairness, compassion, and shared norms are found to cultivate emotional security and prosocial conduct. The findings underscore the importance of aligning moral development with emotional learning to foster holistic relational intelligence.