Preschoolers' likability as cause or consequence of their social behavior.

Are preschoolers' likability and prosocial behavior consequences of their earlier prosocial behavior or their earlier likability? Teachers' ratings of positive and negative social behavior, as well as peer-rated sociometric likability, were assessed For 43 preschoolers over a 10-month period (average initial age = 45 months). Early in peer reputation formation, likability was associated with peer behavior. Friendlier, more cooperative, less aggressive, and less difficult children were more well liked. Later likability was predicted by earlier likability, not prosocial behavior; peer reputation appeared to be emerging as more important than social behavior in peers'judgments of likability. Although later prosocial behavior was found not to be a consequence of earlier likability, it was predicted by concurrent likability