The Use of Symbolic Modeling to Promote Social Skills in Preschool Children with Low Levels of Social Responsiveness

Abstract

KELLER, MARTHA FREESE, and CARLSON, PETER M. The Use of Symbolic Modeling to Promote Social Skills in Preschool Children with Low Levels of Social Responsiveness. CHRID DEVELOPMENT, 1974, 45, 912-919. The efficacy of symbolic modeling in promoting the development of social skills in preschool children was investigated. 19 socially isolated children were exposed either to 4 5-minute videotapes in which social skills were modeled (treatment) or to 4 sequences of a nature film (control). The frequency with which subjects dispensed and received social reinforcement and the frequency of social interaction were rated by observers preand posttreatment and at follow-up. Results indicated that treatment produced increases in all 3 dependent measures for the treatment group. The data were interpreted as supporting a social facilitation explanation of treatment effectiveness. The importance of peer reinforcement in supporting social interaction was also demonstrated.