Understanding students' interactions: why varied social tasks matter

Abstract

Many social interactions between school‐age children contain both competitive and cooperative elements. In order to gain a better understanding of how students at risk for emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) negotiate social exchanges in cooperative and competitive‐related tasks in comparison with non‐EBD students: (a) prosocial; (b) negative; and (c) conflict behaviours were assessed. Fifty‐seven children at risk for EBD and 57 comparison children participated in three different social tasks with non‐target partners. Both students and teachers completed a standardised behaviour checklist. Social ability and sex differences were considered. Results are discussed from a social‐cognitive framework, and practical implications will be highlighted.

Keywords:

• emotional and behavioural difficulties
• competition
• cooperation
• prosocial behaviours
• conflict
• school‐age children

Acknowledgement

This research was funded by a standard research grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada to the first author.