Social Behavior of Young Siblings in the Family Context: Differences between Same-Sex and Different-Sex Dyads

Abstract

DUNN, JUDY, and KENDRICK, CAROL. Social Behavior of Young Siblings in The Family Context: Differences between Same-Sex and Different-Sex Dyads. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1981, 52, 12651273. Individual differences in the social behavior of young siblings were studied in 40 sibling pairs observed at home, when the infant sibling was aged 8 and 14 months. Differences between same-sex and different-sex sibling pairs were marked by the 14-month-old observations, with more frequent positive social behavior shown by both first child and infant sibling in same-sex pairs, and more frequent negative behavior by first children in different-sex pairs. Infants in both same-sex and different-sex pairs increased in negative behavior between 8 and 14 months. Stability of individual differences between 8and 14-month observations was found for positive behavior in same-sex pairs and for negative behavior in different-sex pairs. Differences in sibling behavior were related to mother-infant interaction. Frequent motherinfant interaction and a high proportion of play were negatively related to positive sibling interaction. Mothers of different-sex siblings played more with their infants than mothers of same-sex siblings.