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The Effect of Changes in Group Composition on the Dominant Behaviour of Young Children *
Author(s) -
GELLERT ELIZABETH
Publication year - 1962
Publication title -
british journal of social and clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.479
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8260
pISSN - 0007-1293
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1962.tb00697.x
Subject(s) - psychology , dominance (genetics) , developmental psychology , social psychology , assertiveness , biochemistry , chemistry , gene
In order to assess the stability of young children's social behaviour, the following questions were posed:1 To what extent do children remain self consistent in amount of attempted domination when they interact with different peers? 2 If particular changes in social setting affect the amount of dominance individuals exhibit, are such effects consistent in direction?Fifty‐five pre‐school‐age children were observed in paired interaction while playing for a series of 20‐minute sessions in a constant setting. The variability of individuals' dominance behaviour during three sessions wherein the partner remained constant, was compared with their variability during two sessions wherein the identity of the playmate was varied. It was found that varying the identity of the playmate tended to decrease the stability of the test children's dominance behaviour significantly. There was also a significant tendency for individuals to display more dominance when paired with the less assertive of two playmates.