| Developmental literature suggests that being liked by the peer group and having reciprocated friendships is commonly associated with positive outcomes, while being disliked or lacking reciprocated friends is associated with negative outcomes. Of additional importance are the behavioral characteristics of individuals with whom these close relationships are formed. Although infants and young children interact with peers, preschool may be the first opportunity for children to select peers on their own accord and these interactions may be less directly supervised by parents. Teacher ratings of social dominance, assertion, positive social skills, prosocial strategies of resource control, coercive strategies of resource control, and resource control were collected on 272 preschool aged children (3-6 years) in Lawrence, Kansas and New Haven, Connecticut. Additionally, the children completed a standard sociometric nomination procedure in which they identified classmates with whom they like to play as well as those with whom they do not like to play. Behavioral similarity of reciprocated and non-reciprocated friends was explored. Both variable-centered and person-centered methodological approaches were used. Results revealed that the concept of homophily is less developed in preschool populations and add to the body of developmental literature regarding homophily. Results are discussed in terms of resource control theory, equity theory, and developmental differences in the definition and function of children's friendships. |
