Emotions and the microcomputer: An exploratory study of young children's responses

Abstract

The emotional effects of early microcomputer use are of interest to educators and child development researchers. This study took a microanalytic emotion coding system which has been used in basic child development research, and applied it to exploring the effects of computer use on children's emotional responses. Sixteen 5-year-old children were videotaped while using three pieces of software (a drawing program, a face construction program, and a counting program). All three pieces elicited more active, positive, and complex facial expressions than did a comparison segment of television watching. Greater levels of concentration and more socially responsive behavior were also seen in the computer conditions. The drawing program tended to elicit more indicators of concentration and social engagement than the other two, although individual preferences and sample size made conclusions tentative. Results appear to reflect the motivational value of emotions and children's interest in experiences which offer autonomy and control. On the basis of this exploratory study, the methodology seems to have potential for investigating other aspects of children's emotional responses to computers.