Verbal and nonverbal interactions of four- and five-year-old friends in potential conflict situations.
Dyads of 4- and 5-year-old friends and nonfriends attending preschools in central Italy were identified by friendship nominations. The 217 dyads of friends and non-friends participated in 2 closed-field tasks designed to simulate real-life situations of potential conflict. In the 4-year-old cohort, there were no significant differences in the behavior of the partners in either of the situations. However, at age 5 years, friends respected the rules of a fast-paced competitive game significantly more than did nonfriends. In discussing how to share a single object (a chocolate egg with a toy inside), 5-year-old friends were more likely to reach agreement than were nonfriends. The results suggest important developmental changes in the processes of negotiation and sharing within the preschool years.
Tomada
Giovanna
G
Department of Psychology, University of Florence, Italy.
Schneider
Barry H
BH
Fonzi
Ada
A
D002652:Child Behavior; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003163:Competitive Behavior; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D005717:Games, Experimental; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017008:Negotiating; D011340:Problem Solving