Dynamic emotion recognition in preschoolers

This study investigates preschoolers’ emotion recognition using Augmented Reality (AR)-enhanced emotional narratives to test the hypothesis that early-emerging emotions are recognized more accurately than later-emerging ones. Individual AR-based tasks were administered to 145 children (36–72 months) to assess recognition accuracy and sequential processing across eight emotions. Results indicated significantly higher recognition accuracy for early-emerging emotions, supporting developmental theories of early affective understanding. Lag Sequential Analysis revealed structured and statistically significant emotional transitions, particularly from Excited to Happy, and from Lucky to Proud, suggesting internal logic in how young children process affective states. For later-emerging emotions, transitions from Surprise to Worry and Boredom were also significant, indicating emerging cognitive-emotional differentiation. Recognition performance positively correlated with expressive communication competence, reinforcing the link between language and emotional development. These findings highlight the potential of AR technology as a pedagogically meaningful tool in early childhood education, offering interactive, context-rich environments that enhance emotional literacy. However, as findings derive from AR-mediated tasks, generalizations to non-digital contexts should be made with caution. Implications for curriculum design and future longitudinal research are discussed

Augmented reality · Emotion recognition · Perception · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Child and Animal Learning Development · Emotion and Mood Recognition

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