THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY

What is PLAY ?
enjoyable and absorbing
intrinsically motivated
pretend quality

Psy 311: Peers

Different Kinds of Play

Infancy: Object Play
Newborns
4-months-old
1-year-old
2-years-old

Psy 311: Peers

-exercise
-explore objects
-functional play
-pretend play

THE DEVELOPMENT OF
PLAY
How does PLAY change during
childhood?
Becomes more social
Becomes more imaginative
Becomes more rule-governed

Psy 311: Peers

Different Kinds of Play

Early Childhood: Social Play

SOLITARY Play
children play alone, typically with objects

ON LOOKER Play
child watches others play, taking an
active interest & perhaps even talking to
the players, but not directly participating

Psy 311: Peers

Different Kinds of Play

Early Childhood: Social Play (cont.)

PARALLEL play
children play next to one another, doing
much the same thing, but they interact
very little

ASSOCIATIVE play
children interact by swapping materials,
conversing, or following each others lead,
but they are not united by the same goal

Psy 311: Peers

Different Kinds of Play

Early Childhood: Social Play (cont.)

COOPERATIVE play
children join forces to achieve a common
goal
they act as a pair or group, dividing their
labor & coordinating their activities in a
meaningful way

GAMES AND RULE GOVERNED play

Psy 311: Peers

What Good is Play?

1. Physical development
gross motor
fine motor coordination

2. Cognitive development
language & communication (e.g.,
reading)
planning
problem-solving
creativity

Psy 311: Peers

What good is play (cont.)?

3. Social development
negotiate, solve conflicts, adapt roles
practice social roles, cooperate, follow
rules

4. Emotional development
express feelings
resolve conflicts

5. Moral development

Psy 311: Peers

How to Promote Play

1. Allow play
2. Provide play materials
3. Import playmates
4. Play along

5. Educational implications

Psy 311: Peers

PEER RELATIONS
Acceptance vs. rejection
Friendship

Psy 311: Peers

PEER ACCEPTANCE
Liked by peer group
Ignored by peer group
Disliked by peer group

Psy 311: Peers

PEER RELATIONS
Sociometric Techniques
CATEGORY
Popular
Rejected
Neglected
Controversial

Psy 311: Peers

LIKED?
Yes
No
No
Yes

DISLIKED?
No
Yes
No
Yes

PEER RELATIONS
ACCEPTANCE
Cooperation
Social rule following
Conformity
Physical Attractiveness

Psy 311: Peers

REJECTION
Aggression
Deviance
Different-ness
Reputation

PEER REJECTION
1. Peer Rejected Children
A. Show traces of psychopathology
B. Behave differently

Aggression
Withdrawn and solitary
No social chat
Disruptive and uncooperative

C. Have reputations with their peers

Psy 311: Peers

PEER REJECTION
2. Coaching Rejected Children
A. Social skills
B. Self-evaluation
C. Affects popularity immediately

has effects one year later

Psy 311: Peers

PEER REJECTION
3.

Socially isolated children

improve when playing with
YOUNGER peers.

Psy 311: Peers

FRIENDSHIP
More important than popularity
As important as parents to development

parents- complementary, authority

peers- reciprocal, equal

Psy 311: Peers

CONSEQUENCES OF
FRIENDSHIP

1. Social development
social skills
social relationships: affection, helping
conflict resolution: negotiation

2. Emotional development
comfort
perspective taking

Psy 311: Peers

CONSEQUENCES OF
FRIENDSHIP (cont.)
3. Physical development
4. Intellectual development

Psy 311: Peers

SEQUENCE OF RELATIONSHIPS
From Peers to Friends

1. Early childhood
Mixed sex groups
Changing pairs

Psy 311: Peers

SEQUENCE OF RELATIONSHIPS
From Peers to Friends (cont.)

2. Middle childhood
Single sex groups
Peer groups- sex segregated
Girls- intensive
Boys- extensive
Friendships

Psy 311: Peers

SEQUENCE OF RELATIONSHIPS
From Peers to Friends (cont.)

3. Adolescence
Peer groups
Partners

Psy 311: Peers

FRIENDSHIP DURING
ADOLESCENCE
Friendship
One-sided to reciprocal
Joint activities to emotional bonds
Common interests to sympathy, loyalty,
& trust
Partners

Psy 311: Peers

LAST NAME, first name

1. Name 3 ways that play changes
during childhood.
2. What kinds of development does play
promote ?
3. Which is more important
developmentally-- popularity or
friendship?
4. What are friendships like in middle
childhood ?

Psy 311: Peers

END
Psy 311: Peers

Film Clip: Peer Relations - Adolescence

Psy 311: Peers