Peer Reinforcement and Sociometric Status

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between peer reinforcement and social status. Data were obtained from 2 classes of preschool children, with repeated measurement of S3 in 1 class. Reinforcement occurring in the peer group was assessed by means of observations; a picture sociometric was used to measure social status. Major findings were: (a) social acceptance (measured in terms of positive choices) was significantly correlated with frequency of giving positive reinforcement but not with frequency of giving negative reinforcement; (b) rejection (negative choices) was significantly correlated with giving negative reinforcement but not with giving positive reinforcement; (c) children received more positive reinforcement from liked peers than from disliked peers; (d) Ss did not receive more negative reinforcement from disliked than liked peers; and (e) more positive than negative reinforcement was received from both liked and disliked peers.