Gender Differences in Masking Negative Emotions: Ability or Motivation?

Research has demonstrated that boys display greater negative affect than girls when they receive a disappointing gift. In this study, ability and motivation were investigated as possible reasons for the gender differences. First- and 3rd-grade children's emotion dissimulation in a disappointing...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Developmental psychology 1995-07, Vol.31 (4), p.660-667
Main Author: Davis, Teresa L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ability
Affective Behavior
Behavior
Biological and medical sciences
Boys
Child
Child development
Child psychology
Developmental psychology
Emotional Regulation
Emotional Response
Emotional States
Emotions
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gender differences
Girls
Human
Human Sex Differences
Incentives
Masking
Motivation
Negative Affect
Negative affectivity
Negative Emotions
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Reasons
Self-Control
Sex Differences
Young Children
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Summary:Research has demonstrated that boys display greater negative affect than girls when they receive a disappointing gift. In this study, ability and motivation were investigated as possible reasons for the gender differences. First- and 3rd-grade children's emotion dissimulation in a disappointing gift task was compared with their degree of dissimulation in a highly motivating game task that required the same ability (masking disappointment with a positive expression) but involved a self-gain motive. If boys are motivated, can they hide their disappointment as well as girls? Boys reduced their expression of negative affect in the game task; however, they still showed higher levels of negativity than did the girls. Perhaps because of socialization experiences, girls have more practice in hiding disappointment and, therefore, are better skilled. Girls also showed higher levels of social monitoring behaviors than boys, and younger girls demonstrated the greatest number of tension behaviors.
ISSN:0012-1649
1939-0599
DOI:10.1037/0012-1649.31.4.660