Examined early development of guilt in 106 children observed in laboratory paradigms in which they were led to believe they had damaged valuable objects during 2 sessions at 22, 33, and 45 months. Found support for a mediational model in which fearful temperament contributed to guilt proneness, which served to inhibit children's tendency to…

This study coded descriptions of disliked peers provided by U.S. and Indonesian 11- and 14-year-olds for references to physical, verbal, and three types of relational aggression. Found that physical aggression was mentioned more frequently by boys, adolescents, and Indonesians, with no significant differences in verbal aggression references. Girls…

Compared exploratory, symbolic, and social play and interaction of Argentine and U.S. 20-month olds and their mothers. Found patterns of cultural similarity in sex differences and differences in the use of exploratory and symbolic play. Overall, Argentine and U.S. dyads used different modes of exploration, representation, and interaction,…

Examined the development of compliance and self-assertion toward parents in two-, four-, and six-year-old children. Found that older children were more compliant, more likely to use logical argument, and less likely to ignore. Boys showed higher levels of compliance to their fathers, whereas girls were more likely to state their preferences and to…

Behavioral observations and sociometric ratings were assessed in separate 3- and 4-year-olds child-care classes across a 2-year period. In general, correspondence between behavioral observations and sociometric ratings increased with age, and social structure showed greater cohesion in the 4-year-olds class. Gender was an organizing principle in…

Two studies examined preschoolers' conflict behavior in peer and sibling dyads. Found that conflicts were quickly resolved in nonaggressive ways, and they occurred within the context of ongoing, coordinated play. Most conflicts occurred between same-gender dyads. Age was also found to influence conflict behavior. (HTH)

This paper examines the observable play behaviors of elementary school students to determine how children interact within and among cultural groups. Observations were conducted during the recess period at an urban elementary school attended by 623 boys and girls age 6 through 12. Recess periods and play areas were segregated by grade and sex. Data…

Assessed child behavior, maternal depression, and family socioeconomic status and observed mother-child interactions for 376 first graders and their mothers. Found that the quality of mother-child interactions mediated the relationship between maternal depression and child behavior problems for boys, girls, and Caucasians but not for African…

Noting that children's appeals to parents can provide information about children's understanding of the family justice system and the dynamics of third party intervention, this study examined the tattling behavior observed in 2- and 4-year-old siblings of 40 Canadian families from diverse occupational and educational backgrounds. Observations of…

Two studies examined children's and adolescents' attitudes toward aggression. Found that boys viewed physical aggression as more hurtful than social aggression and girls rated social aggression as more hurtful. Girls rated an aggressor as more angry than did boys. Middle and high school participants viewed social aggression as indicating more…

Assessed sleep patterns, sleep disruptions, and sleepiness of second-, fourth-, and sixth-graders. Found that older children had more delayed sleep onset times and increased reported daytime sleepiness than younger; girls spent more time in sleep than boys and had increased percentage of motionless sleep; and 18 percent of children had fragmented…

Cognitive styles are broad, systematic characteristics that influence people's responses in different situations. Field dependence independence (FDI) is the cognitive style construct that has generated the most research. Describes the FDI characteristics in young children's social behaviors, including their social orientation, people-versus-object…

Describes features of the concept of involvement, or quality of a child's activity, and a training package for observing children's involvement at child care centers. Recounts use of Leuven Involvement Scales to examine activities of over 600 children in 8 German child care centers. Findings reveal the prevalence of sex-typed activity preferences…

This study examined young children's sensitivity and positive responsiveness to their mothers' needs, using data on 90 preschoolers and their depressed and nondepressed mothers. The highest frequencies of caring behavior were from children with severely depressed mothers, problems in affect regulation, and secure attachment. Girls were found to be…

Studied the role of sociometric status and gender on first-graders' conflict resolution outcomes and compared children's conflict behavior in both mother-child and peer contexts. Found that higher-status children had fewer and shorter disputes, were more likely to invoke skillful verbal resistance strategies, and had more positive affect outcomes…