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Affect‐Congruent Social‐Cognitive Evaluations and Behaviors
Author(s) -
Peets Kätlin,
Hodges Ernest V. E.,
Salmivalli Christina
Publication year - 2008
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.1467-8624.2007.01118.x
Subject(s) - psychology , vignette , aggression , developmental psychology , affect (linguistics) , nomination , social cognition , cognition , peer acceptance , social psychology , peer group , communication , neuroscience , political science , law
This study examined whether the affect children feel toward peers would influence children’s social‐cognitive evaluations and behaviors. The sample consisted of 209 fifth‐grade children (11‐ to 12‐year‐olds; 119 boys and 90 girls). For each child, 3 target peers (liked, disliked, and neutral) were identified via a sociometric nomination procedure. The names of the targets were then inserted into hypothetical vignettes in which the target peer’s behavior had a negative consequence for the child. After each vignette, questions about intent, outcome expectations, and self‐efficacy beliefs were asked. In addition, self‐reports regarding relationship‐specific proactive and reactive aggression and regarding victimization were collected. The results demonstrate that children social‐cognitively differentiate between the relationship types and that relationship‐specific evaluations are associated with relationship‐specific behaviors.