Shows a range of emotions such as pleasure, fear and excitement.

The full progression underlying the three levels above. Used by the platform’s reasoning agent when planning activities and observations.

Not Yet

Shows a very limited and hard-to-differentiate emotional range, with few distinct signals of pleasure, fear, or excitement. Responses are muted or difficult to read across typical situations.

• Rarely smiles or brightens during play, even with familiar songs or faces.
• Sudden noises or new sights produce little visible reaction (no clear startle, no change in expression).
• Facial expression remains mostly flat across feeding, play, and interaction.

Emerging

Displays some distinct emotions (e.g., smiles at familiar play, startles at sudden noise) but range is still narrow or inconsistent. Emotional expressions may be brief and primarily driven by immediate sensory events.

• Smiles briefly at a familiar face or tickle but does not sustain joyful engagement.
• Startles or stiffens at a loud sound, then quickly returns to baseline without clear fearful cues.
• Becomes more active (kicking/arm waving) in one favourite routine, but emotions are not varied.

Developing

Regularly shows multiple distinct emotions with clear, observable signals (smile/laugh for pleasure, wary face/turning away for fear, animated movement/vocalising for excitement) across common routines. Emotional shifts are increasingly predictable to caregivers.

• Shows pleasure: smiles broadly or laughs during peekaboo or a favourite song.
• Shows fear/wariness: turns head away, clings, or quietens when approached by an unfamiliar person.
• Shows excitement: squeals, bounces, or reaches eagerly when a favourite person or toy appears.

Secure

Consistently expresses a broad range of age-appropriate emotions across contexts and people, and uses trusted adults for regulation (seeking comfort when fearful, sharing excitement). Emotional signals are clear enough to guide responsive caregiving.

• Moves between emotions appropriately: laughs during play, then shows a wary face at a sudden sound and seeks comfort.
• Looks to a caregiver with a wide smile and vocalises to share enjoyment, then returns to play.
• Shows clear “I’m unsure” cues (still body, wide eyes) in new situations and settles with reassurance.

Reflexive

Uses emotions flexibly in social communication: shares pleasure/excitement with familiar adults (looks, vocalises, offers object) and shows early self-regulation around fear/excitement (checks caregiver, settles after reassurance). Emotional range generalises across settings without prolonged dysregulation.

• Actively shares emotion: looks back and forth between toy and adult while smiling, as if inviting shared joy.
• When briefly frightened, checks caregiver’s face/voice, then resumes exploring within a short time.
• After high excitement, can settle into a calmer activity (cuddle/story) with minimal support.