Preschool children naturally display competitive behavioral patterns. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the association between preschool children's regulation (regulatory and control components) and competitive behaviors (task-oriented and other-referenced). A total of 260 preschool children (47.7% girls) ranging in age from 49…

In early childhood, young children frequently engage in object-oriented play. According to cultural-historical activity theory, object-oriented play provides children with opportunities to learn about the characteristics and cultural applications of objects and materials. These characteristics are referred to as rules or affordances of objects and…

The aim of this study was to explore patterns of children's agency enactment in second-language learning as reflected in their language learning and social interactions in a bilingual Arabic-Hebrew-speaking classroom. We examined the connection between these behaviour patterns and the children's L2 progress in the bilingual classroom. The study…

Describes the behavior and interaction patterns of preschool social isolates and their nonisolate agemates. (DB)

Determined four types of preschoolers' social interaction. Examined the relationship of incidents of social interaction of these types to subsequent incidents of conflictual interaction and to the results of the conflictual interaction. Found that preschoolers' dyadic and triadic social interactions preceded conflictual interactions less often…

This study investigated sex role behaviors, perceptions, and aspiration levels in 3- 4-, and 5-year-old children. Focus was on social interaction in situations free of adult attention. Six parties were conducted and videotaped in the familiar setting of the preschool classroom. Seventy-seven preschoolers attended these parties which were composed…

To determine whether behavioral differences exist between attractive and unattractive children, 64 boys and girls aged three and five years were selected on the basis of physical attractiveness and were paired in same age, same sex, and attractive and unattractive dyads. These dyads were then observed in a seminaturalistic play setting. (JMB)

Examined peer-related social interactions of preschool children with communication disorders. Found that subjects engaged in fewer positive social interactions and conversed with peers less often during nonplay activities than did normal peers, were less successful in their social bids, and appeared to be less directive with their peers. However,…

Investigates 57 three- to five-year-old children's sharing of preferred and nonpreferred food with same-sex peers as a function of (1) whether or not the children had previous experience as recipients and (2) whether or not the child was shared with during the experience as a recipient. (HOD)

Study results with 82 preschool children show that mothers' and fathers' emotion socialization strategies were different and in some cases differed with the child's gender, and that these reported emotion socialization practices were differentially related to children's behavior during peer play. (SLD)

To understand the development of relational aggression during early childhood, 91 girls and boys ("M" age=39.0; "SD"=7.6 months) and their teachers participated in an 18-month longitudinal study. Children were observed for relational and physical aggression during free play in four time periods. Individually administered interviews were conducted…

Relationships between measures of sociometric status (SMS) and the behavior of preschool children were investigated. SMS was assessed through use of a comprehensive ranking technique that obtained data on each child from every other child in the sample. Measures of SMS included number of first nominations received (as "best friend"),…

Two studies documented gender differences in preschool children's responses to situations of vulnerability. Children playing with same sex friends showed no sex differences in time responding to vulnerability; some sex differences were noted in response type. Children's preferences for vignettes representing categories of response to the same…

Studied social interactions of intellectually normal Head Start children, children with low rates of social interaction, children diagnosed as socially-emotionally handicapped, and socially normal, nonhandicapped children. All groups differed on peer interactions, positive social initiations, and reciprocity rule. (Author/BB)