1. Components of Emotion:
Motivation to act or goals (e.g., approach or avoidance)
Physiological reactions (e.g., heart rate, hormone levels)
Thoughts (cognitions) and feelings

2. Discrete Emotions Theory (Izard)
Theories of Emotion
Discrete Emotions Theory (Izard)
(Some) emotions are innate
Distinct emotions emerge very early in life
Each emotion corresponds to a particular set of facial/bodily expressions

3. Functionalist Theories
Basic function of emotions is to promote action toward a goal
Ex: Fear
Goal is to avoid physical/psychological harm
Action: withdrawal
Emotions are influenced by the social/cultural environment and are not necessarily distinct early in life

4. Emotional Milestones Positive emotions
Social smiles: Smiles directed toward people
Typically emerge between 2-3 months

5. Negative emotions Distress reaction: Present from birth
Occurs in response to multiple stressors (e.g., hunger, pain, etc.)
Disagreement about whether young infants experience distinct negative emotions (e.g., anger, sadness, fear) or if they simply experience distress

6. Fear Little firm evidence of distinct fear reactions in young infants
At around 6-7 months, fear of strangers (stranger anxiety) often develops
Other fears also present at around 7 months

7. Separation Anxiety
Distress due to separation from primary caregiver(s)
Develops around 8 months and continues until about months, then declines

8. Other negative emotions (anger, sadness)
Between 4-8 months, anger expressions become distinct from other negative emotions
Anger and sadness are often elicited by the same situations
Exs: after a painful event; when infants can’t control events in their environment
Anger expressions seem to occur more frequently in infants than sadness expressions

9. Self-conscious emotions
Embarrassment, pride, guilt, shame
Emerge between months
Associated with recognition of self (rouge test)

10. Individual Differences in Emotion
Temperament: Biologically based individual differences in emotional characteristics and other behaviors
Show consistency across situations
Relatively stable over time
But temperament characteristics also often show changes over time

11. Temperament Dimensions:
Fearful distress/Behavioral Inhibition
Irritable distress
Attention span/persistence
Activity level
Positive affect

12. Measurement of Temperament
Parent report
Questionnaires
Structured Observation
Psychophysiological Methods
heart rate, brain wave activity, hormone levels

14. Temperament and Later Adjustment “Difficult” temperament may include:
High irritable distress or fearful distress
Low attention span/persistence
High activity level
Low positive affect

15. Difficult temperament in infancy/preschool period is correlated with adjustment problems later in life (adolescence, adulthood)
But some infants/children with difficult temperament characteristics do not show adjustment problems later in life

16. Goodness-of-Fit
Degree to which a child’s temperament is compatible with the expectations of the social environment (including the family environment)
Poor goodness-of-fit likely to result in adjustment problems for children