Social Behaviours Between Urban and Non-Urban Pre-School Children

Abstract

This study explored the influence of the locations of the pre-schools upon the social behaviours and genders of pre-school children in urban and non-urban areas. Post-Occupancy Evaluation studies were conducted upon 494 children in 20 classrooms in 10 Malaysian public pre-schools in the Klang Valley. Data collection involved natural unobtrusive observation with video recordings upon the children's social behaviour during their recess (free play) time. The findings revealed varying degrees of differences. Also, overall behavioural pattern between genders in the same location differed; while of the same genders were almost identical in both the urban and the non-urban locations. Implications of the findings were discussed.