INFANT RESPONSES TO FRUSTRATION - INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES IN THE EXPRESSION OF NEGATIVE AFFECT

The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of infant ch aracteristics (temperament and motivation) and parental expressivity t o infants' emotional response to frustration. Subjects were 84 10-mont h-old infants and their families. Frustration was created by having in fants and mothers play with a toy after which mothers were cued to rem ove the toy from the infants' reach but within their sight. After two minutes, the toy was returned to the infants. The infants' emotional r esponses were measured in two ways, vocally and facially. Infant motiv ation was coded by noting the degree to which the infant was intereste d and positively involved with the toy. Infant temperament was obtaine d through mother report. Parental reports of their own emotional expre ssivity were obtained through questionnaire. The results indicated tha t the degree to which infants were interested in the toy predicted the intensity with which they became angry when the toy was removed. Pare ntal expressivity and infant temperament were also related to emotion expressivity. Fathers' but not mothers' negative expressivity was asso ciated with infants' expression of anger and distress but in a negativ e direction.