The Emotional World of Children Vis a Vis the Emotional World of Adults: An Examination of Vocal Communication
C. Abraham Fenster, Alan M. Goldstein · Journal of Communication · 1971
The tendency for child and adult listeners to label vocal communications as reflecting an excess of either positive or negative emotion was investigated by using tapes of child and adult speakers. Adult and child subjects were asked to identify which of six emotions each of the speakers was attempting to communicate. It was found that: (a) listeners do not tend to label vocal communications with an excess of either positive or negative emotion; (b) no differences were found between child and adult listeners with regard to the number of positive and negative labels given to vocal communications; and, (c) child and adult speakers do not tend to elicit an excess of positive or negative emotional labels from either child or adult speakers. The significance of this research is discussed.