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Emotional Words, Emotional Contexts: Investigating Emotional Valence in Children's Writing and Word Learning

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Title: Emotional Words, Emotional Contexts: Investigating Emotional Valence in Children's Writing and Word Learning
Language: English
Authors: Yuzhen Dong (ORCID 0000-0003-2518-9711), Matthew H. C. Mak (ORCID 0000-0001-7237-4931), Robert Hepach (ORCID 0000-0003-4780-6549), Kate Nation (ORCID 0000-0001-5048-6107)
Source: Infant and Child Development. 2026 35(1).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Child Language, Vocabulary Development, Form Classes (Languages), Psychological Patterns, Emotional Response, Independent Reading, Word Recognition, Age Differences
DOI: 10.1002/icd.70083
ISSN: 1522-7227
1522-7219
Abstract: There is a relationship between the emotional valence of a word and its surrounding context in adult language, and context valence predicts how well adults learn new words. We asked whether this extends to children. Using a large corpus of stories written by children (N = 103,541; [approximately]55 million words, ages 7-13), we found a positive correlation between word and context valence (r = 0.46), which was stable across age. We then conducted a pre-registered word learning experiment investigating how emotional narrative context shapes learning of novel adjectives during independent reading. Children (N = 120, age 7-11 years, 59 girls, ethnic information not collected) read 15 novel words embedded in 30 short narratives of either neutral, negative, or positive valence. We found that children inferred word valence from narrative context, demonstrating that context valence is an effective cue for word learning. Children learned novel adjectives, and older children outperformed younger children in word recognition and valence judgment. Novel adjectives read in more emotional (positive/negative) contexts were recognised more accurately than those in neutral narratives (Odds Ratios = 1.39-1.60). We discuss how affective associations build from children's experience of words in emotional contexts, consistent with affective embodiment supporting children's learning of abstract concepts.
Abstractor: As Provided
Notes: https://osf.io/r6hx9/overview
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1497721
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Emotional Words, Emotional Contexts: Investigating Emotional Valence in Children's Writing and Word Learning
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yuzhen+Dong%22">Yuzhen Dong</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2518-9711">0000-0003-2518-9711</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Matthew+H%2E+C%2E+Mak%22">Matthew H. C. Mak</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7237-4931">0000-0001-7237-4931</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Robert+Hepach%22">Robert Hepach</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4780-6549">0000-0003-4780-6549</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kate+Nation%22">Kate Nation</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5048-6107">0000-0001-5048-6107</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Infant+and+Child+Development%22"><i>Infant and Child Development</i></searchLink>. 2026 35(1).
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 14
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Language%22">Child Language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vocabulary+Development%22">Vocabulary Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Form+Classes+%28Languages%29%22">Form Classes (Languages)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+Patterns%22">Psychological Patterns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+Response%22">Emotional Response</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Independent+Reading%22">Independent Reading</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Word+Recognition%22">Word Recognition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+Differences%22">Age Differences</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1002/icd.70083
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  Data: 1522-7227<br />1522-7219
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: There is a relationship between the emotional valence of a word and its surrounding context in adult language, and context valence predicts how well adults learn new words. We asked whether this extends to children. Using a large corpus of stories written by children (N = 103,541; [approximately]55 million words, ages 7-13), we found a positive correlation between word and context valence (r = 0.46), which was stable across age. We then conducted a pre-registered word learning experiment investigating how emotional narrative context shapes learning of novel adjectives during independent reading. Children (N = 120, age 7-11 years, 59 girls, ethnic information not collected) read 15 novel words embedded in 30 short narratives of either neutral, negative, or positive valence. We found that children inferred word valence from narrative context, demonstrating that context valence is an effective cue for word learning. Children learned novel adjectives, and older children outperformed younger children in word recognition and valence judgment. Novel adjectives read in more emotional (positive/negative) contexts were recognised more accurately than those in neutral narratives (Odds Ratios = 1.39-1.60). We discuss how affective associations build from children's experience of words in emotional contexts, consistent with affective embodiment supporting children's learning of abstract concepts.
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  Data: https://osf.io/r6hx9/overview
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      – SubjectFull: Form Classes (Languages)
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      – SubjectFull: Word Recognition
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      – SubjectFull: Age Differences
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