Displayed Smile vs. Felt Smile

Me with (Smart) Objects

3-4 years

15 min

Learning goal :

Learning to differentiate a human being from an "intelligent" machine

Pedagogical Intention :

Identify emotional differences

Target skills :

Distinguishing between displaying and feeling an emotion.

Materials :

Image of a smiling robot + mirrors (1 per child or 2-3 for the group)

Detailed Procedure :

1. The teacher shows an image of a smiling robot. 2. They ask children to imitate a real smile. 3. They compare: "Does the robot smile because it is happy?" 4. They explain the difference between displaying and feeling an emotion. 5. Whole-group restatement.

Progress Indicators

The child says the robot shows a smile but does not feel it.

Research Foundations

Turkle (2011) – emotional simulation.