The emergence of group interaction in early childhood

• Main Author: Parnass, Jodi
• Other Authors: Benenson, Joyce (advisor)
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: McGill University 1995
• Subjects: Interaction analysis in education; Sex differences (Psychology) in children
• Online Access: http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=22615

The current study was designed to examine sex differences in group interaction in early childhood. Seven classes of four-year old children and six classes of five-year-old participated as subjects. Thirteen playgroups of 6 girls and 6 boys each were formed. Analyses of the girls' and boys' interactions showed that there was a marginally significant trend for girls to engage in more Simultaneous Group Interaction than boys. Analyses of a second measure, Coordinated Group Activity, demonstrated that boys, after five years of age, were found to engage in significantly more group interaction than girls. Findings revealed that in early childhood, males and females differ in their modes of interaction with peers (ie, their social structure), with age five as a transition period for males.