A developmental model of story liking predicts that (1) reader identification increases with greater perceived similarity between character and reader; (2) increased identification leads to greater suspense; (3) liking of story outcome is a joint function of character valence and outcome valence; and (4) overall liking of story increases with…

Assessed temperament of newborn twins using comprehensive neonatal exam that focused on irritability, resistance to soothing activity, and reinforcement value. Some infants were later assessed at 9 months. Emotional activity appeared to be core dimension stretching over ages and is discussed in relation to formulations of infant temperament.…

Four- and five-year-old Euro-American children participated in a study of moral reasoning, vicarious emotional responding, and prosocial behavior. Found that higher levels of moral reasoning were positively related to prosocial behavior. Children high in both other-oriented moral cognitions and sympathy were most helpful toward peers. (Author/DR)

Observed infants' responses in a food-requested procedure to explore their understanding of other people's desires. Found that only the 18-month-olds were able to engage in some form of desire reasoning. Children not only inferred that another person held a desire, but also recognized how desires were related to emotions and understood something…

Assessed coping with homesickness, perceived control over homesickness, and adjustment among 8- to 10-year-olds spending two weeks at a summer camp. Found that children's most frequent and effective method of coping was engaging in distracting physical activity; coping by adjusting oneself to conditions increased through adolescence; and the most…

Two studies examined 19 preschoolers' ability to distinguish between pretense and reality, testing whether emotionally charged events can cause children to lend probability to pretense. Subjects were assigned to various conditions including termination or no termination of pretense and emotionally colored pretense play scenarios. Found that, even…

Children from 5 to 19 years of age viewed videotaped segments of resolved, partially resolved, and unresolved conflicts. The negativity of children's responses corresponded to the degree that fights were unresolved. Numerous age and sex effects were found. (BC)

Two studies examined psychometric properties of a new criterion Q-sort for children's emotion regulation and autonomy. Multitrait-multimethod matrix and factor analyses indicated impressive convergence among the emotion regulation Q-scale and established affect regulation measures. The new scale was not discriminable from measures of related…

Examined role of infant and toddler temperament in predicting 2-year olds' empathy. Found that children showed relatively more concern for mother's distress, but were also responsive to unfamiliar victims. Unreacting infants showing little affect also showed less empathy toward the unfamiliar adult almost two years later. Inhibition toward…

Evaluated gender differences in infant and maternal emotional expressivity and regulation with 6-month-old infants and their mothers, using Tronick's face-to-face still-face model. Found that maternal affect, matching, rate of change between matching and mismatching states, and synchrony in the play preceding the still face differentially mediated…

Investigated 4-month-olds' responsiveness to others' affective expressions in the context of a peekaboo game. Found differential patterns of visual attention and affective responsiveness to happiness/surprise, anger, fear, and sadness. Findings underscore importance of contextual information for facilitating recognition of emotion expressions and…

This study investigated the maternal concerns and emotions that may regulate one form of sensitive parenting, support for children's immediate desires or intentions. While reviewing a videotape of interactions with their 1-year-olds, mothers who varied on depressive symptoms reported concerns and emotions they had during the interaction. Emotions…

If maternal expressed emotion is an environmental risk factor for children's antisocial behavior problems, it should account for behavioral differences between siblings growing up in the same family even after genetic influences on children's behavior problems are taken into account. This hypothesis was tested in the Environmental Risk…

This study examined whether child temperamental approach reactivity moderated the association between 2 factors, parenting and child control capacities and child emotional self-regulation. Participants (N=113) were 3- and 4-year-olds (M=48 months, SD=5.78) and their mothers. Emotional self-regulation was measured as observed persistence and…

Preschool, third-grade and sixth-grade children, and adults were shown vignettes depicting eight types of experiences and asked for their own (for children) or the children's (for adults) expected emotional reactions. Overall, adults showed an absence of developmental considerations in their implicit theories of children's emotional…