Abstract: Emotional expression rules include expression regulation knowledge and expectations of outcome of emotional expression.The study examined 112 3~6 years old children's use of emotional expression rules and its relation to family emotional expression and social behaviors.The results demonstrate:(1)Children's display rules had significant grade difference,and 5 year-old children were more likely to use display rules than 3 year-old children.(2)Children masked emotion when they expected not to receive interpersonal support or instrumental assistance.(3)Children reported different emotion in a variety of audience figures.And interpersonal support from audience figures was varied as a function of children's age.(4)Mothers.and fathers.perceptions of family expressiveness were positively correlated with interpersonal support and negatively correlat ed with instrumental assistance.(5)Children's use of display rules can positively predict the prosocial behavior,while children's expectation of negative results can negatively predict the shyness-withdrawn.

Key words: children, emotion display rules, family emotional expressiveness, social behaviors