Successful and Disconfirmed Children in the Peer Group: Indices of Social Competence within an Evolutionary Perspective

An evolutionary approach to the study of social competence is proposed, one that focuses on its biological functions and long-term consequences and might serve to unify the diverse meanings attached to the social competence construct. Research is described based on observation of preschoolers in the natural setting of the classroom. Indices of social competence were frequent initiations of interactions by companions, a high frequency of responses to overtures, and a high frequency of compliance by peers to requests. Temperament and aspects of family environment were examined as concomitants and antecedents of social competence.