Previous studies have shown a developmental trend in mixed emotional understanding. As children develop throughout childhood, they begin to recognise simultaneity of positive and negative emotions. However, previous studies have limited ecological validity as they assessed emotion choice using only a single positive and single negative emotion. Therefore, the present study aims to broaden the understanding of mixed emotional development by allowing a wider emotion choice. Mixed emotions were measured using the Analogue Emotions Scale (AES) which allows both intensity of the emotional responses and time to be captured. In the present study 211 children aged 4-10 were divided into one of three protagonist conditions, (self, peer, and adult) and read a vignette about the protagonist moving house. Choosing from seven emotions (happy, calm, surprise, sad, worry, fear, anger) they plotted the intensity and duration of each emotion they thought was represented in the vignette. The present study replicated the developmental trend that younger children are more likely than older children to choose a single emotion, and older children are more likely to perceive more simultaneity of emotion than younger children. This trend was demonstrated in the number of emotions chosen, and also the complexity of the AES pattern plotted. Additionally, the present study extended previous research by demonstrating that by broadening the emotion choice, the emotion interaction is more complex than previous studies were able to show.

中文翻译：

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使用视觉表现来展示整个童年混合情绪发展的复杂性

以往的研究表明，混合情绪理解有发展趋势。随着儿童整个童年的发展，他们开始认识到积极和消极情绪的同时性。然而，之前的研究在生态效度上是有限的，因为他们只使用单一的积极和单一的消极情绪来评估情绪选择。因此，本研究旨在通过允许更广泛的情绪选择来拓宽对混合情绪发展的理解。使用模拟情绪量表 (AES) 测量混合情绪，该量表允许捕捉情绪反应的强度和时间。在本研究中，211 名 4-10 岁的儿童被分为三个主角条件之一（自己、同伴和成人），并阅读关于主角搬家的小插曲。从七种情绪（快乐、平静、惊讶、悲伤、担心、恐惧、愤怒）他们绘制了他们认为在小插图中表现的每种情绪的强度和持续时间。本研究再现了这样的发展趋势，即年幼儿童比年长儿童更有可能选择单一情绪，而年长儿童比年幼儿童更有可能感知到更多的情绪同时性。这种趋势体现在选择的情绪数量以及绘制的 AES 模式的复杂性上。此外，本研究扩展了先前的研究，证明通过扩大情绪选择，情绪互动比以前的研究能够显示的更复杂。本研究再现了这样的发展趋势，即年幼儿童比年长儿童更有可能选择单一情绪，而年长儿童比年幼儿童更有可能感知到更多的情绪同时性。这种趋势体现在选择的情绪数量以及绘制的 AES 模式的复杂性上。此外，本研究扩展了先前的研究，证明通过扩大情绪选择，情绪互动比以前的研究能够显示的更复杂。本研究再现了这样的发展趋势，即年幼儿童比年长儿童更有可能选择单一情绪，而年长儿童比年幼儿童更有可能感知到更多的情绪同时性。这种趋势体现在选择的情绪数量以及绘制的 AES 模式的复杂性上。此外，本研究扩展了先前的研究，证明通过扩大情绪选择，情绪互动比以前的研究能够显示的更复杂。