Research

When a young child experiences negative emotions--anger, anxiety, or distress--can his parents respond in a way that fosters the child's emotional development?

A new University of Illinois study in the September/October issue of Child Development suggests that young children benefit when mothers and fathers differ in their reactions to their child's negative emotions.

A mother’s attentiveness to her baby’s distress, especially in the first year, is more important to his secure attachment than positive feedback when he’s happy and content, concludes a UI study published in the June issue of the Journal of Family Psychology.

“Unfortunately, sometimes it’s difficult for parents to deal with their child’s distress,” said Nancy McElwain, a UI professor of human and community development. “A mother may become anxious when her baby is really unhappy and try to comfort him by saying, ‘Oh, don’t cry, don’t cry.’ But it’s OK to cry.

Not all children get along well with their friends or siblings. A positive relationship with a friend, however, can buffer the effects of a poorly functioning relationship the child may have with a sibling, said University of Illinois researcher Nancy McElwain in a study published in December’s Journal of Family Psychology.

June 30, 2003

URBANA -- Are animal lovers always nature lovers? Environmental psychologist and University of Illinois professor Joanne Vining has hypothesized that people’s affection for animals may have something to do with how they care about the environment.

Psychologists have done numerous studies on humans and their attachment to animals and/or their pets as well as numerous studies on people’s concern for nature and the environment. Vining is the first to test these factors empirically to see if they influence each other.