Expression of Negative Affect Within Disciplinary Encounters: Is There Dyadic Reciprocity?

This article examines the evidence for the reciprocity of negative affect between mothers and young children within disciplinary encounters. A conceptual schema that aids systematic exploration of observational data was used. There was limited evidence of dyadic reciprocity. Although children responded contingently and reciprocally to maternal negativity and with less negativity to other maternal behaviors, they also reacted negatively to maternal positive affect. Children's responses were also influenced by their own emotional state. Mothers did not show contingent reciprocity but responded over a longer time span. Negativity within control was not influenced by either partner's negativity in other contexts. Maternal affective style was consistent across social contexts. Analyses of reciprocity, therefore, need to consider the social context and level of analyses.