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Conflict and Its Resolution in Small Groups of One‐ and Two‐Year‐Olds
Author(s) -
Caplan Marlene,
Vespo JoEllen,
Pedersen Jan,
Hay Dale F.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.1991.tb01622.x
Subject(s) - psychology , conflict resolution , prosocial behavior , interpersonal communication , scarcity , developmental psychology , conflict resolution strategy , social psychology , interpersonal relationship , girl , social conflict , group conflict , social relation , political science , politics , law , economics , microeconomics
48 1‐ and 48 2‐year‐olds were observed in groups of 3 for 25 min on 2 consecutive days, once with ample resources and once with scarce resources. The triads were composed of either 2 girls and a boy or 2 boys and a girl, and duplicate copies of toys were available for half the groups. Their conflicts contained interpersonal features and were more affected by social influences than by the availability of resources. Contrary to expectations, scarcity of resources did not result in increased conflict. In fact, 2‐year‐olds were more likely to resolve conflict by sharing when toys were scarce. The provision of duplicates decreased the probability of conflict, but many conflicts occurred even when a duplicate was easily accessible. The form of conflict depended on the children's age and the gender composition of the group. Older children and groups dominated by boys, relative to younger children and groups dominated by girls, were less likely to use force and more likely to resolve disputes in prosocial ways. Taken together, these findings provide further evidence for the social nature of conflict in the first few years of life.