The Role of the Group in Peer Group Entry

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9507.1996.tb00084.x
• Publication Date: 2006-04-29T22:00:52Z
• Authors: Lynne Zarbatany; Susan Pepper
• Keywords: 05 social sciences; 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences

Abstract This study explored psychological conditions affecting children's receptiveness to a newcomer (the guest) in peer group entry task. Subjects were 93 host dyads (48 male) of 7‐ 9‐year‐old children. Hosts played word‐naming game for 5 min before being joined by male or female guest. The hosts' pre‐entry interaction was coded reflect an orientation toward the (agentic) each other and experimental setting demands (communal). Hosts' predicted outcomes. Specifically, hosts excluded children verbally competed with (an aspect agency) more than who entered. Male helped encouraged (aspects communal orientation) hosts. These findings suggest that strategies effort required achieve may depend on prior attending group.