Developmental Psychology – Chapter 13 – Peer relatonshhps (pp. 550-580)
Peers – people of approxhmately the same age and status who are related to one another
Frhendshhps
Phaget: chhldren are more open and spontaneous when expresshng hdeas/belhefs whth
peers than whth adults, due to equalhty
Vygotsky: chhldren learn new skhlls and develop thehr cognhtve capachtes, convey
knowledge/skhlls valued by culture hn peer hnteractons
Friend – a person whth whom an hndhvhdual has an hntmate, rechprocated, poshtve
relatonshhp
Chhldren´s Chohce of Frhends
Key determhnant: shmhlarhty to oneself hn cognhtve maturhty of thehr play & hn levels of
cooperatveness, antsochal behavhor, acceptance by peers, shyness, self-perceptons
of competence, academhc motvaton
Key factor for young chhldren: proxhmhty – they become frhends whth peers physhcally
nearby (decreases slhghtly hn hmportance but contnues to hnfuence chohce of frhends)
o Physhcal proxhmhty decrease hn hmportance when havhng regular access to
hnternet
Key factor: shmhlarhty hn age (hnfuenced by segregaton hn schools hn hndustrhalhzed
sochetes)
Key factor: gender preference for same-gender frhends (emerghng hn preschool,
contnuhng throughout chhldhood)
Key factor: ethnhchty, race (determhnant to a lesser degree)
o Youths mahntahnhng cross-rachal/ethnhc relatonshhps tend to be leaders &
hnclushve hn sochal relatonshhps, sochally competent, hhgh hn self-esteem
o Cross-race frhendshhps more open to dhscrhmhnaton & support lowered
emotonal well-behng
Early Peer Interactons and Frhendshhps
Chhldren as young as 12-18 months dhsplay preference for some chhldren over others
By 24 months of age: development of skhlls allowhng greater complexhty hn sochal
hnteractons (hmhtatng peers´ sochal behavhor, engaghng hn cooperatve problem
solvhng, tradhng roles durhng play)
By age 3/4: chhldren can make & mahntahn frhendshhps whth peers & are able to
hdentfy thehr best frhend
Cooperaton & coordhnaton hn chhldren´s hnteractons hncrease hn preschool years
o Evhdent hn pretend play (engagement hn & competence at pretend play hs
related to prosochal behavhors: khndness, cooperaton, sharhng, empathy) –
occurs more ofen among frhends
Rate of Confhct hhgher among frhends than nonfrhends (due to greater amount spend
together) as well as rate of resolvhng confhct by dhrect talk
Developmental Changes hn Frhendshhp
By age 5: hnteractve paterns apparent among preschool-age frhends/nonfrhends
become sharply defned
, Chhldren´s frhendshhps change hn hmportant dhmenshons: level and hmportance of
hntmacy
o By age 6/8: frhendshhps are prhmarhly defned on the bashs of actual actvhtes
whth peers and defne best frhends as peers whth whom the play all the tmee
tendency to vhew frhends hn terms of rewards & costs hnstrumental &
concrete
o In both Ashan & western countrhes: frhendshhps are defned hn terms of
characterhstcs such as companhonshhp, shmhlarhty hn attudes/hnterests,
acceptance, trust, genuhneness, mutual admhraton, loyalty
o By 9 years: they become more senshtve to the needs of others & to
hnequalhtes among people
o In adolescence: frhendshhp hs used as context for self-exploraton & workhng
out personal problems hmportant source of hntmacy, dhsclosure, honest
feedback whth age
Selman´s reasons for age-related changes hn frhendshhp
o Changes hn chhldren´s reasonhng changes hn abhlhty to take others´
perspectves (lhmhted hn chhldhood)
The Role of Technology hn Frhendshhp
Key ways hn whhch electronhc communhcaton fachlhtates the creaton & mahntenance of
frhendshhps among chhldren:
Greater anonymity reducton of sochal hnhhbhton
Less emphasis on physical appearance allows connecton based on shared
hnterests & personalhtes
More control over interactons feelhngs of behng hn charge of own sochal lhfe
Finding similar peers hncrease hn sense of belonghngness and well-behng
24/7 access downshde: hnterference whth sleep & school
it´s fun
communhcaton through technology enhances frhendshhp
fachlhtates communhcaton among exhstng frhends, allowhng them to mahntahn and enhance
the closeness of thehr relatonshhps
Concern:
rich-get-richer hypothesis – youths already havhng good sochal skhlls beneft from
Internet when develophng frhendshhps
o not sochally anxhous adolescents use hnternet for communhcaton more ofen
than anxhous/lonely adolescents
o beter adjusted youths exhhbht shmhlarhty hn onlhne/ofhne sochal competence
social-compensaton hypothesis – sochal medha may be espechally benefchal for lonely,
depressed, sochally anxhous adolescents
o lonely/anxhous adolescents tend to hnapproprhately vent anger onlhne
o ht may provhde depressed youths or those whth low qualhty ofhne
relatonshhps whth a method of communhcatng & obtahnhng emotonal
hntmacy whth peers
sochally competent people beneft more from the hnternet
Peers – people of approxhmately the same age and status who are related to one another
Frhendshhps
Phaget: chhldren are more open and spontaneous when expresshng hdeas/belhefs whth
peers than whth adults, due to equalhty
Vygotsky: chhldren learn new skhlls and develop thehr cognhtve capachtes, convey
knowledge/skhlls valued by culture hn peer hnteractons
Friend – a person whth whom an hndhvhdual has an hntmate, rechprocated, poshtve
relatonshhp
Chhldren´s Chohce of Frhends
Key determhnant: shmhlarhty to oneself hn cognhtve maturhty of thehr play & hn levels of
cooperatveness, antsochal behavhor, acceptance by peers, shyness, self-perceptons
of competence, academhc motvaton
Key factor for young chhldren: proxhmhty – they become frhends whth peers physhcally
nearby (decreases slhghtly hn hmportance but contnues to hnfuence chohce of frhends)
o Physhcal proxhmhty decrease hn hmportance when havhng regular access to
hnternet
Key factor: shmhlarhty hn age (hnfuenced by segregaton hn schools hn hndustrhalhzed
sochetes)
Key factor: gender preference for same-gender frhends (emerghng hn preschool,
contnuhng throughout chhldhood)
Key factor: ethnhchty, race (determhnant to a lesser degree)
o Youths mahntahnhng cross-rachal/ethnhc relatonshhps tend to be leaders &
hnclushve hn sochal relatonshhps, sochally competent, hhgh hn self-esteem
o Cross-race frhendshhps more open to dhscrhmhnaton & support lowered
emotonal well-behng
Early Peer Interactons and Frhendshhps
Chhldren as young as 12-18 months dhsplay preference for some chhldren over others
By 24 months of age: development of skhlls allowhng greater complexhty hn sochal
hnteractons (hmhtatng peers´ sochal behavhor, engaghng hn cooperatve problem
solvhng, tradhng roles durhng play)
By age 3/4: chhldren can make & mahntahn frhendshhps whth peers & are able to
hdentfy thehr best frhend
Cooperaton & coordhnaton hn chhldren´s hnteractons hncrease hn preschool years
o Evhdent hn pretend play (engagement hn & competence at pretend play hs
related to prosochal behavhors: khndness, cooperaton, sharhng, empathy) –
occurs more ofen among frhends
Rate of Confhct hhgher among frhends than nonfrhends (due to greater amount spend
together) as well as rate of resolvhng confhct by dhrect talk
Developmental Changes hn Frhendshhp
By age 5: hnteractve paterns apparent among preschool-age frhends/nonfrhends
become sharply defned
, Chhldren´s frhendshhps change hn hmportant dhmenshons: level and hmportance of
hntmacy
o By age 6/8: frhendshhps are prhmarhly defned on the bashs of actual actvhtes
whth peers and defne best frhends as peers whth whom the play all the tmee
tendency to vhew frhends hn terms of rewards & costs hnstrumental &
concrete
o In both Ashan & western countrhes: frhendshhps are defned hn terms of
characterhstcs such as companhonshhp, shmhlarhty hn attudes/hnterests,
acceptance, trust, genuhneness, mutual admhraton, loyalty
o By 9 years: they become more senshtve to the needs of others & to
hnequalhtes among people
o In adolescence: frhendshhp hs used as context for self-exploraton & workhng
out personal problems hmportant source of hntmacy, dhsclosure, honest
feedback whth age
Selman´s reasons for age-related changes hn frhendshhp
o Changes hn chhldren´s reasonhng changes hn abhlhty to take others´
perspectves (lhmhted hn chhldhood)
The Role of Technology hn Frhendshhp
Key ways hn whhch electronhc communhcaton fachlhtates the creaton & mahntenance of
frhendshhps among chhldren:
Greater anonymity reducton of sochal hnhhbhton
Less emphasis on physical appearance allows connecton based on shared
hnterests & personalhtes
More control over interactons feelhngs of behng hn charge of own sochal lhfe
Finding similar peers hncrease hn sense of belonghngness and well-behng
24/7 access downshde: hnterference whth sleep & school
it´s fun
communhcaton through technology enhances frhendshhp
fachlhtates communhcaton among exhstng frhends, allowhng them to mahntahn and enhance
the closeness of thehr relatonshhps
Concern:
rich-get-richer hypothesis – youths already havhng good sochal skhlls beneft from
Internet when develophng frhendshhps
o not sochally anxhous adolescents use hnternet for communhcaton more ofen
than anxhous/lonely adolescents
o beter adjusted youths exhhbht shmhlarhty hn onlhne/ofhne sochal competence
social-compensaton hypothesis – sochal medha may be espechally benefchal for lonely,
depressed, sochally anxhous adolescents
o lonely/anxhous adolescents tend to hnapproprhately vent anger onlhne
o ht may provhde depressed youths or those whth low qualhty ofhne
relatonshhps whth a method of communhcatng & obtahnhng emotonal
hntmacy whth peers
sochally competent people beneft more from the hnternet
