SEX DIFFERENCES IN SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE AND PARTICIPATION OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

Abstract

The opinion is often expressed by both casual and experienced observers of nursery school free play that girls seem to engage in more social interaction of a friendly nature than do boys. However, research on sex differences in social participation of preschool children has been limited to specific traits or actions, such as aggression, 'hostility, sympathy, etc. Studies of social acceptance in the preschool years also have given but little attention to sex differences. Sociometric studies of these ages (I, 2, 4) report that choices on sociometric tests tend to be for the same sex as the subject, but do not report on sex differences in sociometric scores. The authors have reported elsewhere investigation of relationships between four measures of peer social acceptance and participation (5, 7) and a measure of dependence on adults (6) for 48 children attending three newly formed preschool groups. This report describes the additional analyses of these data needed to provide empirical answers to three questions: (a) Do preschool boys and girls differ in scores obtained on measures of social acceptance and participation? (b) Are there sex differences in the relationships existing between concurrent measures of social acceptance and participation? (c) If they occur, are sex differences in social acceptance by peers affected by the progress of acquaintance in newly formed preschool groups?