Abstract

The aim was to study children's understanding of coexistence of internal states of different valence (negative, positive) and domain (physical, psychological). A total of sixty 5-, 7- and 9-year-olds evaluated coexistence and personal experience of pairs of states involving either same valence and different domain, or different valence and domain, or else different valence and same domain. Acceptance of coexistence increased with age and it was higher for the first case rather than the second, and for the second rather than the third. Results were discussed taking into account both cognitive aspects and personal experience in concept formation.