Emotion expression processes in children's peer interaction: The role of peer rejection, aggression, and gender

The goal of the current study was to investigate sociometric status, aggres sion, and gender differences in children's expression of anger, happiness, and sadness. Participants were 111 second-grade African American boys and g irls, half rejected and half average sociometric status, and half aggressiv e and half nonaggressive as assessed by their peers. Children interacted wi th a confederate in two standardized competitive game paradigms. Participan ts' expressions of anger, happiness, and sadness were observationally coded across facial, verbal intonation, and nonverbal modalities. Rejected child ren expressed more facial and verbal anger than average-status children. Re jected children also expressed more nonverbal happiness than average childr en, but only during turns of the game that were favorable to the participan t. Finally, boys expressed more facial, verbal, and nonverbal anger than gi rls.