Very young children seem to know that people experience several mental stat
es: desires, perceptions, emotions. In three studies, we investigated 2- an
d young 3-year-olds' judgments and communications about how these states co
nnect together in people's lives and minds. Two experimental studies with 5
6 participants demonstrated young children's understanding of at least one
set od connections: In appropriate circumstances, a person's perception of
desirable or undesirable objects leads to related emotional experiences. A
complementary investigation of four young children's everyday conversations
demonstrated their awareness of and expression of several additional conne
ctions between people's desires, perceptions, and emotions.