In this study, we aimed to assess the recognition process of the six basic emotions identified by Paul Ekman (1992) — happiness, anger, sadness, fear, surprise, and disgust — through facial expressions among primary education students, both male and female. Statistical analysis of the data revealed that children in primary education generally exhibit proficiency in recognizing happiness, surprise, and sadness, yet display weaker abilities in identifying anger, fear, and disgust. Moreover, the study demonstrated that the recognition of these emotions is significantly influenced by the intensity of facial expressions: recognition rates are higher (between 75% and 100%) with stronger expressions, whereas weaker expressions (around 50%) hinder recognition.
Furthermore, while there were no statistically significant gender differences in the recognition of basic emotions among male students, females generally exhibited a slightly superior recognition ability. The significance of this research lies in its contribution to understanding the developmental trajectory of emotion recognition among early education children. This knowledge is pivotal for designing and implementing training programs aimed at enhancing the ability to perceive basic emotions through facial expressions, benefiting both typically developing children and those with developmental challenges.