[The development of moral emotions in early childhood].
We investigated the development of young children's moral emotions, i.e., sympathy and guilt, within a multi-informant longitudinal research design. One-hundred and seventy-five 6-year-old Swiss children participated at the first assessment (T1; re-assessed after one year; T2). Mothers and teachers participated as well. Sympathy was measured with self- and other reports and within children's play narratives. Guilt feelings were assessed by emotion attributions to protagonists and self-as-protagonist following different hypothetical moral transgressions. Mother-rated sympathy at T2 was positively related to guilt feelings at T2, whereas no relations between sympathy and guilt were found at T1. Sympathy ratings within informant were stable over a year. Guilt feelings to protagonists and self-as-protagonist were stable over a year as well. Guilt feelings predicted subsequent guilt feelings, whereas earlier sympathy did not predict guilt feelings. The results are discussed in regard to the differential development of moral emotions.
Malti
Tina
T
Department of Psychology, University of Toronto-Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. malti@jacobscenter.uzh.ch
Buchmann
Marlis
M
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D032882:Comprehension; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D035863:Moral Development; D010552:Personality Assessment; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012951:Socialization; D013557:Switzerland