Preschoolers’ cognitive representations of peer relationships: family origins and behavioural correlates

Abstract

Cognitive representations of peer relationships were conceptualised as the attributions children make about the intentions of others and children’s peer affiliation, or desire to interact with peers. Measures of these two constructs were developed and administered to 55 four‐ to six‐year‐olds. Findings indicate that measures of both measures of cognitive representations were associated with teacher‐rated peer competence, even when standardised Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test scores were controlled. The association between peer affiliation and peer competence was mediated by strategy response generation, while the association between attributions and peer competence was direct. Father–child synchrony during a laboratory play session was associated with peer competence, and this association appeared to be at least partially mediated by response generation and peer affiliation scores.

Keywords:

• social cognition
• parent–child interaction
• peer competence
• father–child interaction

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a UTC Foundation Research award to the first author, and award LR03MH49869 from the National Institute of Mental Health and project ALA‐10‐004 from the Agricultural Experiment Station to the second author.

Appreciation is expressed to Eric Lindsey and Glyn Brown for conducting parent–child laboratory sessions. Robert Laird, Chad Simmons, Misty Baker, Nisha Sivley, May Weatherwax, Deborah Moffett, Jaronda Davis, Christianne Brown and Rebecca Custer assisted in the collection of sociometric and child interview data. We are also grateful to the parents, children and teachers of Joyland Child Development Center, Learning Connection Day Care Center, and Auburn University Child Study Center for their participation.