The experience of being socially accepted or rejected can elicit different changes in heart rate reactivity of both children and adults. In addition, personal characteristics like aggressive...Show moreThe experience of being socially accepted or rejected can elicit different changes in heart rate reactivity of both children and adults. In addition, personal characteristics like aggressive behavior may influence this reaction. This study examined whether heart rate reactivity of four-to-seven-year-old children differed during the processing of positive, negative and neutral social judgments, and whether aggression levels were related to heart rate reactivity during the processing of social judgments. Heart rate and behavioral data of 29 children was collected during an adjusted version of the Social Judgment Task. Results showed significant differences in the behavioral responses to negative and neutral judgments, compared to the responses to positive judgments. No significant differences were found in heart rate reactivity during the three conditions. These results indicate that children do distinguish between the three conditions, but their heart rate reactivity might not be influenced by the content of the feedback yet. Additionally aggression seems to be related to heart rate reactivity during the positive and negative condition. These findings suggest that heart rate reactivity in response to social judgments might develop throughout childhood, while aggression levels already influence heart rate reactivity in young children.Show less
The focus of the current study was on brain activities of young children during social judgment processing. We examined, using electro-encephalogram (EEG), amplitude differences of the P3...Show moreThe focus of the current study was on brain activities of young children during social judgment processing. We examined, using electro-encephalogram (EEG), amplitude differences of the P3 components between positive, negative and neutral social judgments in children between the age of four and six. In addition, the relation between individual differences in empathy and the difference score of the P3 amplitude between social acceptance and social rejection was studied. Before the start of the experiment, participants received a self-chosen stuffed animal. During EEG data acquisition participants were presented with same-aged peer judgments referring to their stuffed-animal. Empathy of the participants was measured by using the My Child Questionnaire and by performing the Sally-Anne task. Results showed a clear P3 amplitude between 500 and 800 milliseconds after stimulus onset. However, contrary to what was expected, no significant differences between positive, negative and neutral social judgment processing were found. Furthermore, empathy was not found to be related to P3 amplitude differences between social acceptance and social rejection. Although no statistical results were found, current research provides new hypothesis for further research that refers to social feedback processing in children between four and six years old.Show less
