Emotional eavesdropping: infants selectively respond to indirect emotional signals

Abstract

Two experiments examined whether 18-month-olds learn from emotions directed to a third party. Infants watched an adult perform actions on objects, and an Emoter expressed Anger or Neutral affect toward the adult in response to her actions. The Emoter then became neutral and infants were given access to the objects. Infants' actions were influenced by their memory of the Emoter's affect. Moreover, infants' actions varied as a function of whether they were currently in the Emoter's visual field. If the previously angry Emoter was absent (Experiment 1) or turned her back (Experiment 2), infants did not use the prior emotion to regulate their behavior. Infants learn from emotional eavesdropping, and their subsequent behavior depends on the Emoter's orientation toward them.

Figure 1

Mean total imitation score as a function of experimental condition (with vertical lines depicting standard errors) for Experiment 1 (n = 32).

Figure 2

Mean total imitation score as a function of experimental condition (with vertical lines depicting standard errors) for Experiment 2 (n = 24).