A study of 60 4- to 7-year-olds that considers the connections between control over issues within children's personal domain, identity, and emotional well-being has found that children make important distinctions between different kinds of rules. Using role-playing situations, the researchers learned how children would act and feel when a parent forbids them from engaging in a desired activity. The findings suggest that children make important distinctions between different kinds of rules when reasoning about decisions and emotions.