Complex emotions and demonstrating empathy

Empathy is the ability to pick up on another’s emotional state and match it. A child who has a good capacity for empathy is less likely to show aggressive behaviour, and vice versa. The ability to show empathy generally emerges more strongly in this age group, alongside other more complex emotions such as guilt, shame and pride. Such emotions are affected by culture and are closely linked with moral development.

Hoffman offers a model of empathy development.

Children at 2 to 3 years will start to use emotion words such as "I feel sad Daddy", and be able to label others emotions such as"Are you angry Nana?" By 4 to 5 years a child will not only be able to express complex emotions, but use them in interactions with others and understand the causes and consequences of different emotions.

Parents have a key role in aiding the child to understand socially acceptable emotional reactions. For example, if a child bites another child they may encourage the child who bit to say sorry and show remorse.