Socializing Emotions and Affective Dispositions: An Anthropological Approach to the Study of Emotional Development

Drawing on ethnographic studies from the Makassar (Indonesia) and Tao (Taiwan), a novel theoretical approach to the study of emotion socialization is formulated, according to which emotional development consists of a two-step process: In infancy, caregivers elicit affective dispositions in children by using culture-specific, emotionally arousing strategies to prepare them for later lessons. In toddlerhood, these dispositions develop into socializing emotions which orient individuals towards sociocultural norms, values, and belief systems. Affective dispositions and socializing emotions have a considerable impact on emotional development in general. A mixed-method approach was applied combining methods from sociocultural anthropology and developmental psychology. Empirical data was collected as part of long-term ethnographic research using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The field sites were local villages with girls and boys aged 0-12 as the main research group.