Just wondering.. what age do children start crying at 'happy' endings etc

[citybranch]

Just wondering out of interest really!

DS is not yet 3 and we were just watching a little film, 'Lost and Found'. I was quite surprised that DS was sobbing with happy tears at the end of the film, when the little boy and the penguin were reunited. It started me off of course!

Was just wondering if anyone knew at what age humans become emotional/sentimental at happy things as well as sad, I suppose I thought that DS is quite young...but maybe I'm wrong!

DS ( just 6) cried at the end of the pantomime yesterday when everyone got married and lived happily ever after...

DS2 is a sentimental little thing and I remember him crying at Black Beauty at the sad and happy bits - he must have been about 3.3 yrs. The really tear jerky thing for me is when I asked if he was OK and he put his hand on his forehead and said, 'I'm fine Mummy'. What a trooper.

Having done child dev. course for a psych degree, I don't actually recall there being any research on this in the course, except that surprisingly young children are able to empathise (toddlers). I suppose we tend to think that that means crying over the bad bits with us but I don't see why it shouldn't mean crying over the good bits too.

My dd is 8.7 and laughs her socks off when I blub. She is very unempathetic though.

Thanks for responses! What sensitive little souls they are.