UW I-LABS
Toddlers who overhear adults disagreeing can use that emotional information to guide their own behavior, according to research study from the Institute of Learning & Brain Sciences. Learn more about the study here: http://ilabs.washington.edu/i-labs-news/infant-control-thyself

This re-enactment of the experiment begins with a warm-up trial as an experimenter shows a toy to a 15-month-old boy and then he gets a chance to play with them. Then a second adult, the "Emoter," enters the room. The experimenter shows her how to play with a toy, a strand of beads that make a rattling sound when dropped into a plastic cup. The Emoter calls these actions "aggravating" and "annoying." When the child has a chance to play with the beads and cup while the Emoter watches with a neutral facial expression, he doesn’t play with the toy. This demonstrates that he’s using the emotional information to regulate his own behavior. 

The experiment was published in the October/November 2014 issue of the journal Cognitive Development with the title, "Infant, control thyself: Infants' integration of multiple social cues to regulate their imitative behavior." Credit: Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington."


Further research providing more information on this topic can be found at:

Free video:  https://modules.ilabs.uw.edu/module/understanding-emotions/

Other research papers: 
Repacholi, B. M., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2007).
http://ilabs.washington.edu/meltzoff/pdf/07Repacholi_Meltzoff_Eavesdropping.pdf

Repacholi, B. M., Meltzoff, A. N., Olsen, B. (2008).
http://ilabs.washington.edu/meltzoff/pdf/08Repacholi_Meltzoff_Perception_Emotion_DP.pdf

Repacholi, B. M., Meltzoff, A. N., Toub, T. S., & Ruba, A. L. (2016).
http://ilabs.uw.edu/sites/default/files/16Repacholi_Meltzoff_etal_Infants%20attribute%20emotional%20traits%20and%20history%20to%20people.pdf
['Early Childhood Education (Field Of Study)', 'Parents', 'Family', 'Child Development (Literature Subject)', 'Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences', 'University Of Washington (College/University)']
Toddlers regulate their behavior to avoid making adults angry
Lifestyle_(sociology)