The Developmental Research On3-5Year Old Children’s Abilities Of Facial Expression Recognition, Facial Expression Labeling And Cognition Of Emotional Display Rules

Children’s emotional competence is an important skill, which was acquired in the socialization process. It is a key element of the non-intellectual factors, and it directly affects the formation of children’s interpersonal relationships and the quality of social communication. It influences young children’s social development, psychological health and even their life-span development significantly. This study focused on the abilities of facial expression recognition, facial expression labeling and cognition of emotional display rules, which were the typical and important abilities of emotional competence, to conduct an in-depth investigation.Most of the domestic studies of facial expression recognition and labeling used static face images or photos. The dynamic expression videos, which are closer to everyday life, can provide more clues for facial expression recognition. Thus videos have advantages in facial expression labeling and recognition, and the results will be closer to the real situation. Standardized dynamic video expressions were used in this study for preschool children to label and identify, and results were compared with the static face images.Most of the domestic studies on the cognition of emotional display rules used a five-point scale and studied the emotional display rules in the negative and positive situations. Most of the participants were pupils, and few were preschool children. To better investigate the child emotional expression strategies, test pictures of angry and sad emotions were divided into four types:a little angry, very angry, a little sad and very sad. It was investigated that how preschool children used the emotional display rules in angry, happy and sad situations. The influences of age, emotional situation and interpersonal relationship on preschooler’s cognition of emotional display rules were also concerned.1013-5-year-old preschoolers were selected to assess the ability of identifying and labeling six basic emotions and how they used the emotional display rules in angry, happy and sad situations. Results indicated:(1) The abilities of facial expression recognition, facial expression labeling and cognition of emotional display rules improved with the age growth. Emotional competence developed rapidly at the age of4, which might be the critical stage of its development.(2) The gender difference of emotional competence was showed in the use of strategies:Girls were better at using emotional expression strategies than boys; Girls tended to use more neutralization and show more real expressions in front of good friends than parents.(3) Masking and intensification were used more in sad situations. Masking was used more in angry situations, while comprehensive use of masking, intensification and minimization were found in happy situations.(4) Children tended to use masking when parents were present, while they used comprehensive means of intensification and masking when friends were present. Emotion regulation was more effective when friends were present (especially in happy and sad situations), which quite conformed to social expectations.(5) Preschoolers recognized and labeled facial emotion of happiness best, followed by anger and sadness, then fear, surprise and disgust at the end.(6) Preschool children used masking strategy most, then intensification, with neutralization the least.(7) Results of measuring emotional competence with dynamic expression videos and the amended facial expression testing pictures were more reliable.Thus, educators should foster preschooler’s emotional competence according to their developmental characteristics and critical stage. Adults could guide and foster their emotional competence with dynamic videos. To promote the development of preschool children’s emotional competence, adults should cultivate children’s ability of empathy for better communication. Preschoolers with poor emotion ability should be detected and treated as early as possible. Preschool children should be taught to adjust the angry mood by expressing their dissatisfaction rationally.