Children's responses to same- and other-gender peers: An experimental investigation with 8-, 10-, and 12-year-olds

This research compared how participants in the age range of middle childhoo d (N = 565, approximate ages 8, 10, and 12 years) responded to provocation by a same- or an other-gender peer. In a laboratory play session, participa nts were provoked in two ways: by losing at a computer game and by being te ased by a confederate actor. Immediately following the provoking play sessi on, participants were interviewed about their perceptions of the provoking peer, emotional responses, coping strategies, and social goals. For both th e baseline and provocation periods, observational data indicated that facia l. verbal, and gestural responses to an other-gender peer were more negativ e than to a same-gender peer. With other-gender partners, participants repo rted liking the peer less, trying less to get along with the provocateur, a nd coping with the provocation by trying to play better rather than by verb ally confronting the actor.