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Social dominance in preschool classrooms
Anthony D Pellegrini1, Cary J Roseth, Shanna Mliner
1Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. pelle013@umn.edu
Journal of Comparative Psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)
|February 28, 2007
Summary
Preschoolers showed less aggression over the school year, with same-sex aggression being more common. Winning aggressive encounters, not aggression itself, predicted social dominance in young children.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Behavior
Background:
- Aggressive and cooperative behaviors are key aspects of social development in preschoolers.
- Understanding the factors influencing social dominance is crucial for early childhood education.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the developmental trends of aggressive and cooperative behaviors in preschoolers.
- To investigate the relationship between aggression, cooperation, and social dominance.
- To determine the predictive power of winning aggressive interactions and cooperation on social dominance.
Main Methods:
- Direct observation of preschoolers' aggressive and cooperative behaviors throughout the school year.
- Analysis of the frequency of same-sex versus cross-sex aggression.
- Correlation between teacher ratings of aggression and observed behaviors.
- Regression analysis to assess the impact of 'wins' and cooperation on social dominance, controlling for age.
Main Results:
- Directly observed aggressive interactions decreased over the school year.
- Same-sex aggression was more frequent than cross-sex aggression.
- Teacher-rated aggression correlated with observed aggression but not with observed 'wins'.
- 'Wins' in aggressive bouts were associated with cooperation and social display variables.
- After controlling for age, 'wins' alone predicted teacher-rated social dominance.
Conclusions:
- Social dominance in preschoolers is more closely linked to success in competitive encounters ('wins') than to the level of aggression displayed.
- Cooperation and social display variables also play a role in competitive success.
- The school environment's ethos may influence the types of competition and their impact on social dynamics.
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