Anger Expression and Persistence in Young Children

Abstract

This study investigated anger expression during toy removal (TR) in 92 young Chinese children, two to five years of age, and its relations to their persistence in responding to obstacles during two challenging tasks with highly desirable goals [TR and locked box (LB)] and one challenging task with a less desirable goal [impossible perfect circles (IPC)]. Anger expression during TR was positively associated with persistence during TR and LB but not during IPC. The results highlighted the positive effects of anger in the development of persistence.

Anger and Positive Reactivity in Infancy: Effects on Maternal Report of Surgency and Attention Focusing in Early Childhood

“…This is consistent with results that approach‐oriented preschoolers, who are characterized by preference for challenging tasks and demonstrating higher optimism, exhibit higher attention skills in orienting, vigilance, and executive tasks, than avoidance‐oriented children, who are characterized by avoiding challenges and exhibiting negativity (Chang & Burns, 2005). In addition, evidence that anger, an adaptive reaction elicited by arm restraint, is the by‐product of both interest in and focus on desired goals (Lewis & Ramsay, 2005) or rewarding information (Ford et al., 2010), and persistence in mastery situations (He et al., in press; Kearney, 2004), supports the current relations between anger and attention focusing. Moreover, other work has found that positive affect is associated with longer attention focusing in a learning task (Rose, Futterwelt, & Jankowski, 1999).…”

“…Consistent with a motivational approach/avoidance systems model of temperament, positive reactivity is associated with exuberance, a behavioral style in which children display high joy and approach (Fox et al., 2001; Hane et al., 2008). Anger is also considered part of the approach system, as it is suggested to support approach behavior toward goals (Derryberry & Rothbart, 2001; He, Xu, & Degnan, in press) and is linked to approach‐related patterns of left frontal EEG asymmetry (Carver & Harmon‐Jones, 2009). However, in contrast to the current hypothesis, observed positive reactivity and anger were unrelated in the current study.…”

“…These results support the notion that anger is an approach‐related emotion (Carver & Harmon‐Jones, 2009; He et al., 2010) and does not necessarily have a maladaptive effect on later socio‐emotional development. Indeed, infants who express anger when met with obstacles (i.e., toy removal) have displayed greater persistence toward goals (He et al., in press), perhaps due to the perceived control from the cumulative experience of successfully dealing with challenging situations (Sullivan & Lewis, 2003). Positive states including perceived control and surgency may therefore be positively reinforcing and overtime increase approach behaviors to cope with environmental demands.…”

Observed Emotions as Predictors of Quality of Kindergartners’ Social Relationships

“…Furthermore, emotion expression may be less associated with teacher–student closeness because other factors, such as teacher characteristics unaccounted for in this study, may also be critical for developing a close relationship with teachers (de Jong et al, ; Jerome et al, ). Alternatively, anger and frustration in the classroom context may sometimes reflect approach motivation during academic‐related tasks (He, Xu, & Degnan, ), indicating academic persistence that might be favorable to teacher–student relationship quality.…”

Development of behavioural regulation in Do and Don't contexts among behaviourally inhibited Chinese children

“…This task was modified from the Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery (Goldsmith, Reilly, Lemery, Longley, & Prescott, 1994) and the study of He et al (2012). The task began with a learning/practice period, during which the experimenter taught the child to open the lock with a key.…”