Date of Award

1987

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Psychology

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Joseph S. Rossi

Abstract

Children's conceptions of anger were examined in three groups of children ages 6-7, 8-9, and 11-12. A series of open-ended and semi structured questions were used to investigate five parameters of anger; instigations, bodily reactions, consequences, duration, and perceptions of sex-differences. Children's conceptions were found to vary considerably depending on age and sex of the child, and the particular target of anger. Older children tended to perceive a larger set of instigations which might result in anger, expected their experiences to last longer, were more likely to report feelings of stiffness or tightness as a result of anger, and to perceive sex-differences. The findings are discussed in the context of theories of emotion development and the issue of continuity/discontinuity.

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