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A hidden cost of happiness in children
Article first published online: 23 MAY 2008
DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2008.00709.x
© 2008 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd
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How to Cite
Schnall, S., Jaswal, V. K. and Rowe, C. (2008), A hidden cost of happiness in children. Developmental Science, 11: F25–F30. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2008.00709.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 12 AUG 2008
- Article first published online: 23 MAY 2008
- Received: 4 March 2008Accepted: 24 April 2008
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Abstract
Happiness is generally considered an emotion with only beneficial effects, particularly in childhood. However, there are some situations where the style of information processing triggered by happiness could be a liability. In particular, happiness seems to motivate a top-down processing style, which could impair performance when attention to detail is required. Indeed, in Experiment 1, 10- to 11-year-old children (N = 30) induced to feel a happy mood were slower to locate a simple shape embedded in a complex figure than those induced to feel a sad mood. In Experiment 2, 6- to 7-year-old children (N = 61) induced to feel a happy mood found fewer embedded shapes than those induced to feel a sad or neutral mood. Happiness may have unintended and possibly undesirable cognitive consequences, even in childhood.