To conform or not to conform: An in-depth analysis of teacher–child interaction and the role of emotions in social adaptation in preschool

The study investigates how emotions, such as shame and pride, affect children’s social adaptation in kindergarten, especially in situations where children are expected to follow specific activities led by kindergarten teachers. The goal is to understand how these emotions play a role in children’s ability to adapt to the expectations of kindergarten teachers and how this can be understood in light of the institutional context of kindergarten.

The results show that emotions, especially shame, play an important role in promoting social adaptation in children in kindergarten, especially during goal-oriented activities. Kindergarten teachers use subtle verbal and nonverbal signals to encourage children to follow the expected tasks. This can lead to mixed feelings in children, who can both experience pride when they meet expectations, but also shame when they feel like they are not. The study uncovers a dilemma in kindergarten practice, where kindergarten teachers must balance between promoting academic preparedness and supporting children’s socioemotional development.

The study uses video analysis to investigate verbal and nonverbal communication between kindergarten teachers and children during goal-oriented activities. Data were collected from three different kindergartens, and include a total of 173 minutes of video recording. A total of 35 children aged 3 to 6 years and seven kindergarten teachers participated. Six specific episodes were selected for detailed micro sociological analysis, focusing on how emotions such as shame and pride manifest themselves in the interaction between kindergarten teachers and children.

Nilfyr, K., Aspelin, J. & Lantz-Andersson, A. (2022). To conform or not to conform: An in-depth analysis of teacher–child interaction and the role of emotions in social adaptation in preschool. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 20(3), 383–396.