The Relation of Classroom Structure to Social Behavior, Imaginative Play, and Self-Regulation of Economically Disadvantaged Children

Abstract

HUSTON-STEIN, ALETHA; FRIEDRICH-COFER, LYNETTE; and SUSMAN, ELIZABETH J. The Relation of Classroom Structure to Socid4 Behavior, Imaginative Play, and Self-Regulation of Economically Disadvantaged Children. CHILD DEVELOPM'ENT, 1977, 48, 908-916. Structure was defined as the amount of adult-directed activity in preschool classes. The relation of structure to naturally occurring behavior was examined in 13 urban Head Start classes containing 141 children. Children in high structure classes engaged in less prosocial behavior to peers, less imaginative play, and less aggression than children* in low structure classes but had slightly more friendly peer interactions. Children in high structure classes were more attentive in circle time and helped to clean up more after free play, but they did not show more independent task persistence. The latter finding suggested that high levels of adult direction produce conformity when adults are present but do not facilitate independent task-oriented behavior.