Emotional engagement in kindergarten and school children: A self-determination theory perspective

Following self-determination theory [10] we analyzed whether childrens' emotional arousal – operationalized by ambulatory assessed additional heart rate increase – is affected by satisfaction of basic psychological needs, namely social relatedness, autonomy, and competence.Physical activity and heart rate of 16 German kindergarten and 48 school children were monitored throughout the time they spent at the educational institution. In addition, basic needs satisfaction states and children's situational context was periodically assessed by an electronic diary.We found institutional environments that emphasize social relatedness and support of autonomy (e.g., kindergarten vs. schools, voluntary workshops vs. regular lessons) revealed higher additional heart rates, respectively emotional arousal. Moreover, children who reported sense of competence showed increased additional heart rates.Given that emotional arousal is critical for learning, educational institutions should further consider the role of self-determination for learning and create learning environments that support autonomy, social relatedness, and competence.