ERIC Number: EJ685643
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004-Dec
Pages: 13
Abstractor: Author
Reference Count: 38
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0009-3920
Comparison of Sadness, Anger, and Fear Facial Expressions When Toddlers Look at Their Mothers
Buss, Kristin A.; Kiel, Elizabeth J.
Child Development, v75 n6 p1761-1773 Dec 2004
Research suggests that sadness expressions may be more beneficial to children than other emotions when eliciting support from caregivers. It is unclear, however, when children develop the ability to regulate their displays of distress. The current study addressed this question. Distress facial expressions (e.g., fear, anger, and sadness) were examined in 24-month-old toddlers throughout 4 episodes as well as specifically during looks to their mothers. Consistent with hypotheses and the literature, toddlers expressed sadness more frequently and with more intensity than target emotions only during looks to their mothers. These findings indicate that toddlers as young as 24 months of age are using particular emotional displays to elicit support from the social environment.
Descriptors: Toddlers, Social Environment, Caregivers, Mothers, Fear, Nonverbal Communication, Emotional Response, Psychological Patterns
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers: N/A

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