Accuracy of vocal emotional communications among children and adults and the power of negative emotions

Characteristics and Recognizability of Vocal Expressions of Emotion

“…The finding of a growing sensitivity to vocal expressions of emotion as a function of age is consistent with the results of all developmen tal research into emotions in which this question has been considered to date (Dimitrovsky, 1964;Fenster, 1967;Fenster, Blake,& Goldstein, 1977;Gates, 1927;Maitland, 1978;McCluskey et al, 1975;Scherer & Oshinsky, 1977). This general finding also parallels what is known about the development of sensitivity to facial expressions of emotion (Dickey & Knower, 1941;Gates, 1923: Gitter, Mostofsky, & Quincy, 1971Odom&Lemond.…”

“…It appears, in any case, that in the study by Fenster et al (1977), in which a significant age effect was found in a combined analysis of variance, the increase in the mean number of correct identifications was mainly due to a growing sensitivity to a few specific emotions as well. Of the separate analyses of variance performed on the scores of each of the six emotions studied (happiness, contentment, love, fear, sadness, and anger) only two revealed a significant age effect, namely fear and sadness.…”

“…Only Kozel and Gitter (cited in Fenster, Blake, & Goldstein, 1977) report a female advantage. These data all pertain to American English research.…”

“…In some studies, for example the ones reported on by Fenster an Goldstein (1971), and Fenster, Blake, and Goldstein (1977), the relatively short concentration span of young children does not seem to have been taken sufficiently into consideration.…”

“…The former issue is not considered in the present study, and will therefore not be dealt with. The interested reader is referred to the relevant studies (Dimitrovsky, 1964;Fenster, 1967;Fenster & Goldstein, 1971 ;Fenster, Blake, & Goldstein, 1977;McCluskey, Niemi, & Albas, 1978). As for the latter issue, it appears that, at least between age 5 and 10, there is a gradual and steady increase in the number of correct identifications with age (Dimitrovsky, 1964;Fechner, 1978;Fenster, 1967;Fenster et al, 1977;Gates, 1927).…”