The Understanding and Experience of Mixed Emotions in 3–5-Year-Old Children

Abstract

The term mixed emotions refers to the presence of two opposite-valence emotions toward a single target. Identifying when children begin to report experiencing and understanding mixed emotions is critical in identifying how skills such as adaptive functioning, coping strategies, environmental understanding, and socioemotional competence emerge. Prior research has shown that children as young as 5 years old can understand and experience mixed emotion, but perhaps appropriately sensitive methodologies can reveal these abilities in younger children. The present study evaluated 57 children between 3 and 5 years old for mixed emotion experience and understanding using an animated video clip in which a character experiences a mixed emotional episode. Ordinal logistic regression was utilized to examine the relation of gender, attention, and understanding of content to experience and understanding of mixed emotion. While only 12% of children reported experiencing mixed emotion while watching the clip, 49% of children-some as young as 3 years old-were able to recognize the mixed emotional experience of the character. Thus, mixed emotion understanding emerges earlier than previously identified and the expression of understanding may develop independently of the ability to report mixed emotion experience. These findings are discussed in relation to cognitive and developmental considerations.

Children's understanding of mixed emotions in self and other: Verbal reports and visual representations

“…The present mixed emotion experience relied on the memory of a brief vignette. Future research could assess graphs produced as the events unfold such as when children are watching a sequence of bittersweet events in a cartoon which can be linked by children as young as 3 years to past events leading to a protagonist's current feelings (Pons, Harris, & de Rosnay, 2004;Smith et al, 2015). Further study could also assess whether the patterns produced in the AES are consciously accessible.…”

“…However, findings are emerging that suggest a developmental separation of children's recognition of the experience in others and in themselves (Smith, Glass, & Fireman, 2015). Children as young as 5 years demonstrate mixed emotion recognition by matching mixed emotion images to vignettes (Kestenbaum & Gelman, 1995), and brief training can facilitate 6-to 7-year-olds' mixed emotion recognition (Peng, Johnson, Pollock, Glasspool, & Hams, 1992).…”

“…Children begin to recognise mixed emotion in others before they recognise it in themselves (Burkitt & Sheppard, 2104;Callaghan, 1999;Larsen, To, & Fireman, 2007). Smith et al (2015) found that 3 year olds were able to report mixed emotion in a fictional character. This recognition in others and within themselves generally increases throughout early to mid-childhood typically between the ages of 7 and 12 years (Donaldson & Westerman, 1986;Harter & Buddin, 1987;Larsen et al, 2007; Wintre &Vallance, 1994).…”

“…Children as young as 5 years demonstrate mixed emotion recognition by matching mixed emotion images to vignettes (Kestenbaum & Gelman, 1995), and brief training can facilitate 6-to 7-year-olds' mixed emotion recognition (Peng, Johnson, Pollock, Glasspool, & Hams, 1992). Younger children of 3 years of age appear to have difficulty recognising mixed emotion in themselves compared to 5-year-olds (Smith, Glass & Fireman, 2015). Children begin to recognise mixed emotion in others before they recognise it in themselves (Burkitt & Sheppard, 2104;Callaghan, 1999;Larsen, To, & Fireman, 2007).…”

“…Younger children of 3 years of age appear to have difficulty recognising mixed emotion in themselves compared to 5-year-olds (Smith, Glass & Fireman, 2015). Children begin to recognise mixed emotion in others before they recognise it in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 F o r P e e r R e v i e w 6 themselves (Burkitt & Sheppard, 2104;Callaghan, 1999;Larsen, To, & Fireman, 2007).Indeed, Smith et al (2015) found that 3 year olds were able to report mixed emotion in a fictional character. This recognition in others and within themselves generally increases throughout early to mid-childhood typically between the ages of 7 and 12 years (Donaldson & Westerman, 1986;Harter & Buddin, 1987;Larsen et al, 2007; Wintre &Vallance, 1994).…”