Trained 3 month olds to move a 10-object mobile. Changing the mobile to two objects resulted in crying for half the infants. A retention test was given one and seven days later. All infants exhibited retention at one day but only noncriers at seven days. Criers displayed more anger than noncriers in the one-day retention test. (BC)

Components of emotional processing (communication channel, processing mode, and emotional valence) were examined in psychiatric and neurological populations, using an experimental affect battery. The test battery exhibited good psychometric properties and discriminated among diagnostic groups. (Author/JDD)

The influence of anger on mothers' judgments of children and socialization was examined in a 5-week study of 48 mothers of 6- to 8-year-old children. Findings provided evidence that angry mothers expect their children to act more negatively, thereby supporting the proposal that anger may negatively bias parents' reactions. (SH)

Personal letter writing, a major literacy event in Tuvalu, an independent island nation near Fiji, is strongly influenced by culture-specific discourse conventions such as religion. The influence is evident in the vernacular, but also in English letters of Tuvaluan biliterates, whose native patterns of discourse are transferred across literacies.…

Explored patterns of emotional communication in 70 mother-infant dyads, emphasizing both mother and child roles in affect regulation. Display of maternal positive and negative affects decreased with age; child affects were unchanged. Maternal sensitivity was associated with maternal matching of son's affects and daughter's creation of shared…

Affective expressions of 11 toddlers with Down's syndrome and 11 toddlers with no disabilities were compared during participation with a parent in a social referencing procedure. Although expressions of both toddler groups were equally labile and intense, only toddlers without Down's syndrome tended to match their parents' expressions. (Author/DB)

The complex ideas of William James on emotion were oversimplified during his lifetime, with his emphasis on the interpretation of the stimulus largely overlooked. Damaging scientific consequences of this mischaracterization are described. (SLD)

Informal Assessment sometimes interprets enthusiasm and confidence in mathematics for cognitive competence. Presented are two case studies of interviews conducted to study the affective and reflective capacities underlying children's mathematical thinking during a nonroutine problem-solving task. (MDH)

Introduces this special issue on the role of affect in persuading and informing. Discusses conceptualizing affect, affect and message processing, affect and message production, and operationalizing affect. (SR)

Observed adolescent offspring (n=121) of alcoholic, depressed, and nondistressed fathers during problem-solving discussions with fathers, mothers, and both parents together. Found that nondistressed father-child dyads differed from clinical samples in showing higher rates of congeniality and problem solving, whereas impact of alcohol consumption…

Administered Millon Adolescent Personality Inventory at admission and discharge to 215 hospitalized adolescent psychiatric patients. Found significant mean score differences for both internalizing (affective disorder) and externalizing (disruptive behavior disorder) adolescents. Internalizing adolescents reported significantly greater distress at…

Analyzes the nature of the complexity of student writers of narrative in secondary schools. Focuses on the affective development and the narrative structure of student writing. Provides a framework based on structuralist theory resulting in a detailed insight into the achievements of student writers of narrative. (HB)

Literature review of cognitive, affective, behavioral, and somatic-psychological effects as a consequence of overwhelming life events in children and adolescents is compared with DSM-III-R definition of Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Responses likely in children and adolescents are discussed; suggestions for future research and counseling…

Examines how individuals in a dyad where at least one member was recruited from an introductory communication course react to expectancy-violating changes in affectionate behavior. Indicates that unexpected changes in affectionate involvement produce changes in recipients' cognitive assessments and behavior reactions. Suggests that violative…

Used semiprojective and scenario-based measures to identify evidence for adaptive or maladaptive aspects of guilt and shame in 5- to 12-year olds. Found that shame and projective guilt were related to symptoms as rated by parents, self-blame, and attempts to minimize painful feelings. Scenario-based guilt was related to fewer symptoms in boys but…