title: Which graphic symbols do 4-year-old children choose to represent each of the four basic emotions?
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate which graphic symbols are perceived by typically developing 4-year-old children as the best representation of four basic emotions. Participants were asked to respond to questions by using graphic symbols taken from PCS, PICSYM, and Makaton for four basic emotions: happy, sad, afraid, angry. The purpose was to determine which graphic symbol the children selected as a representation of an emotion. Frequencies of choices per symbol were obtained and the different symbols were analysed in terms of facial features that distinguish them from each other. The most preferred symbol per emotion was also identified. Results showed that children recognized the emotion happy with more ease than the emotions sad, afraid, and angry.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: Erna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alant
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harty
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003143:Communication Devices for People with Disabilities; D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003196:Computer Graphics; D004644:Emotions; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007804:Language Development; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012984:Software; D013561:Symbolism