Developmental analysis of social cognitive and behavioral differences between popular and rejected children

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Abstract

The purposes of this study were (a) to examine the relationship between peer status and the child's behavioral and social cognitive characteristics, and (b) to test the hypothesis that the relationship between child's social cognition and child's peer acceptance is mediated by the child's behavior in the interaction with peers. The sample consisted of 125 first-, third-, and fifth-grade children who were selected as either popular or rejected in the peer group. The child's social behavior with peers was assessed using teacher reports and peer nominations. Each child was individually interviewed at school to assess perspective taking ability, interpersonal understanding, prosocial moral reasoning, and empathy. The maturity in reasoning about the social world, positive orientation toward others and sensitivity to other's distress (both social-cognitively as well as behaviorally) are salient characteristics of children who are highly accepted by their peers at school at each grade level. The relationship between social cognition and child's peer acceptance seems to be mediated by the child's social behavior.

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    This research was supported by a grant of the Dutch Organization for Scientific Research (N.W.O. 57-219).

    We gratefully acknowledge the help of the teachers, children, and parents whose cooperation made this study possible. Special thanks are also tendered to Jan Janssens for his assistance with data management and constructive comments on earlier drafts.

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