Understanding the developmental transition between parallel and social play during preschool: A multiplex social
Jennifer Watling Neal1, Zachary P Neal1, Brian Brutzman1
1Department of Psychology, Michigan State University.
Developmental Psychology
|September 19, 2024
Summary
Children
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Early Childhood Education
Background:
- Preschoolers transition from parallel play to social play.
- Understanding this developmental progression is key for early childhood education.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the developmental transition from parallel play to social play in preschoolers.
- To investigate the sequential relationship between parallel and social play over a school year.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal, multiplex social network analysis was employed.
- Observed play behaviors were analyzed in 3-year-old and 4-year-old classrooms.
Main Results:
- Parallel play relationships predicted the development of social play relationships.
- This predictive relationship was unidirectional, from parallel to social play.
- Social play did not predict the formation of parallel play relationships.
Conclusions:
- Findings support a sequential, unidirectional developmental pathway from parallel to social play.
- This transition occurs with the same peers over time.
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