Self-Knowledge and Emotional Development

Abstract

This example of a child, not yet 3 years old, who is able to express his emotions quite eloquently, highlights several features related to the development of emotional states. First, children prior to 3 years of age are capable of understanding at least some questions pertaining to feelings (in this case, "How do you like ...?"). Second, young children are capable of making at least limited verbal replies related to feelings (in this case, "... doesn't taste good"). Third, children recognize that feelings have a location and that this location is inside the body (in this case, the sticking out of his tongue and the use of the word taste were an indication that the location of the feeling was inside his body, specifically in his mouth).