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Developing Relationships, Being Cool, and Not Looking Like a Loser: Social Goal Orientation Predicts Children’s Responses to Peer Aggression
Author(s) -
Rudolph Karen D.,
Abaied Jamie L.,
Flynn Megan,
Sugimura Niwako,
Agoston Anna Monica
Publication year - 2011
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.1467-8624.2011.01631.x
Subject(s) - psychology , aggression , goal orientation , disengagement theory , developmental psychology , construct (python library) , social psychology , psychological intervention , orientation (vector space) , social problem solving , medicine , geometry , mathematics , psychiatry , gerontology , computer science , programming language
This research explored the contribution of social goal orientation, specifically, development (improving social skills and relationships), demonstration‐approach (gaining positive judgments), and demonstration‐avoidance (minimizing negative judgments). Children ( N = 373; M age = 7.97, SD = .34) were followed from 2nd to 3rd grades. Validity of the social goal orientation construct was established through correlations with situation‐specific goals and social adjustment. Development goals predicted adaptive responses (more effortful engagement, problem solving, advice seeking; fewer involuntary responses); demonstration goals predicted maladaptive responses (less effortful engagement, problem solving; more disengagement, retaliation). This study contributes to theoretical understanding of the process of peer aggression and interventions to promote optimal social health.