A Developmental Sequence in the Comprehension of Emotions: Multiple Emotions, Intensity, and Valence

This study examined whether varying intensity of emotions can be employed in conjunction with multiple emotion responses and valence of emotion to describe a scalable developmental sequence for young children. Eighty children between the ages of 4 and 8 years were interviewed individually. A version of the Emotions Situations Questionnaire was used, asking children to self-predict the occurrence of 5 emotions (happy, loving, sad, angry, and scared) on a 5-point scale of intensity to each of 15 affect-laden situations. A concrete, visual apparatus depicting the five emotions was constructed to reduce dependency on verbal responses. Findings indicated that the use of multiple emotions, varying intensity of emotions, and valence of emotions emerge in an orderly, developmental sequence. Children around age 4 could predict experiencing multiple emotions of the same intensity and same valence to affect-eliciting situations. Children around age 6 predicted experiencing multiple emotions of varying intensity but the same valence. Children around age 8 predicted multiple emotions of varying intensity and opposite valence. The number of emotions reported by 8-year-old children was greater than that reported by younger children. Accuracy of identifying targeted emotions increased with developmental level. The stages of development were consistent with a Piagetian and Neo-Piagetian cognitive-developmental framework. (MM)