An Interactional Model of Children's Entry into Peer Groups

PUTALLAZ, MARTHA, and GOTTMAN, JOHN M. An Interactional Model of Children's Entry into Peer Groups. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1981, 52, 986-994. The dyadic interaction of popular and unpopular children was compared. Analyses revealed that unpopular children were (1) more disagreeable and (2) less likely to provide a general reason or rule for their disag-eement or to suggest a constructive alternative when criticizing a peer. Children of either the same or differing popularity then attempted to enter these dyads. It was found that unpopular children were less likely to be accepted and more likely to be ignored by the groups they entered than popular children. When attempting to enter groups, unpopular children were more disagreeable than popular children and were more likely to attempt to call attention to themselves by stating their feelings and opinions, talking about themselves, and asking informational questions than popular children. These strategies were more likely to lead to the children being ignored or rejected by the groups rather than accepted. Some suggestions for intervention were made.