How Schoolchildren Propose to Negotiate: The Role of Social Withdrawal, Social Anxiety, and Locus of Control

Abstract

The role of social anxiety, social withdrawal, and locus of control in the developmental level of interpersonal negotiation strategies (INS) when resolving hypothetical conflicts was examined in a short-term longitudinal study (fall and spring). Applying a balanced design, 96 children aged 8 and 11 from 8 classes participated in the study. At both assessments, results indicated that sociable children were more likely to exhibit greater competence in INS than socially withdrawn children. However, both concurrent and longitudinal analyses indicated that degree of social anxiety tended to influence this relation. Among less socially anxious children, the sociable children did exhibit greater INS competence than those more socially withdrawn, but this relation was not revealed among the more socially anxious children. Finally, on the whole, children who showed internal locus of control were more competent at INS than children with external locus of control.