Korean Journal of Child Studies (아동학회지)

Korean Association of Child Studies (한국아동학회)
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The Development of Moral Emotional Understanding in Preschool Children : The Influence of Offenders' Intentions and Victims' Reactions

유아의 도덕적 정서 이해의 발달 : 가해자 의도와 피해자 반응의 영향

  • Song, Ha-Na (Department of Human Resource Development/Child Psychology and Education, Sungkyunkwan University)
  • 송하나 (성균관대학교 인재개발.아동 청소년학과)
  • Received : 2011.10.31
  • Accepted : 2012.03.25
  • Published : 2012.04.30
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Abstract

This study examined the influences of age, offenders' intention, victims' emotional reactions on the moral emotional understanding of preschool children. Eighty eight children aged 4, 5, and 6 participated in this study, and were interviewed using four moral transgression stories. The responses of the children were then analyzed in terms of the levels of moral emotional understanding, from error through to the understanding of secondary emotions. The results indicated that older children showed higher levels of moral emotional understanding than younger children. Additionally, children's moral emotional understanding was higher in situations in which offenders' behaviors were intentional, and in which the victims expressed sadness. The attribution of moral emotions was influenced by victims' emotional reactions only in 6-year-old children. Discussion of these results also included the development of intervention programs for children with aggressive behaviors, as well as a number of suggestions for future study.

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References

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