Using the Social Organizational Affordances of Pretend Play in American Preschool Girls' Interactions

Abstract

Goodwin (1990, 1993) found that preadolescent girls could use the social organizational affordances of pretend play to enact hierarchical forms of social organization among themselves. This study examines how members of a preschool friendship group of 3 girls utilize the social organizational affordances of news reporter and Prince-Princess play. Asymmetry was created through the actions of 1 girl enacting the role of lead news reporter, assuming a master of ceremonies-like role to manage the other girls' activity and subverting the format of new act announcements to end peers' turns on stage too quickly. In the Prince-Princess scenario, asymmetry was created when group members voiced directives by the Prince and to the Prince in ways that projected that character as more knowledgeable and in control of the activity. Examples of talk illustrate several ways young preschool aged children can utilize the social organizational affordances of pretend play to create role differentiation among them.

Notes

1 All names of children used in this article are pseudonyms.

2 All middle names and surnames (as well as first names) used by children in their news reporter play have been changed to pseudonyms to protect confidentiality.