Subject(s)
Conflict, Psychological , Cross-Cultural Comparison , Mother-Child Relations , Punishment , Adult , Canada , Child Rearing , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , SwedenABSTRACT
Children's (N = 58) perceptions of emotional support from mother and best friend were assessed at age 8. Perceptions of support from mother were predicted by attachment security at age 4, suggesting continuity in the children's internal working model of self in relation to mother. Preschool attachment security predicted age 8 perceptions of maternal support better than the mother's actual behavior at age 8. Identification of the best friend as a member of one's emotional support network was not related to security, but was positively related to social competence. However, among insecurely attached children, the greater the reliance on the best friend for emotional support, the greater the externalizing problems. Compensatory effects of best friend support on the social-emotional adaptation of insecurely attached children were not found.
Subject(s)
Attitude , Interpersonal Relations , Mother-Child Relations , Object Attachment , Personality Development , Social Adjustment , Social Support , Adaptation, Psychological , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Internal-External Control , Male , Personality Assessment , Social PerceptionABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which preferential personal attraction was associated with behavioral similarity among newly acquainted children. Participants included 69 focal children, selected from a sample of 236 7-year-old children who met, for the first time, in same-sex quartets (n = 59) for a free-play session. Within each of these quartets, a "discriminating child" was identified; this child expressed a clear preference for one of his or her playmates over one other of her or his quartet playmates. Preference was determined sociometrically after the children became acquainted during free play. The results indicated that "discriminating" children were more behaviorally similar to preferred playmates than to nonpreferred playmates both in terms of cognitive play style and social participation. Implications of the findings are discussed in terms of the relation to the acquaintanceship process.
Subject(s)
Child Behavior , Interpersonal Relations , Child , Choice Behavior , Female , Humans , Male , Play and Playthings , Psychology, ChildABSTRACT
Developmental psychologists have avoided using brain maturation as a primary construct in theories of child development for a variety of reasons during the past 40 years. However, during the last decade we have seen a return to considering brain growth as a useful element in theory construction. During the past few years, the frontal lobe has received increasing attention with respect to major developmental issues. In this Introduction, we review some of these historical and contemporary trends.
