PEER RELATIONSHIPS OF YOUNG-CHILDREN - AFFILIATIVE CHOICES AND THE SHAPING OF AGGRESSIVE-BEHAVIOR

Examined the occurrence of selective peer affiliation, and its impact on the development of aggressive behavior in four classrooms sewing 72 preschool-age, high-risk boys and girls. Children classified as aggre ssive and nonaggressive were both highly selective in their peer affil iations, spending the majority of their time with a few same-sex class mates. Children generally established strong, stable, mutual affiliati ons with peers similar to themselves in aggression, but aggressive chi ldren had more difficulty establishing such affiliations. The interact ion of peer dyads containing at least one aggressive child were charac terized by more frequent, lengthy, and intense conflicts regardless of the affiliative relationship characterizing the dyad. The amount of t ime children spent interacting with aggressive peers predicted changes in observed and teacher-rated aggressiveness 3 months later.