Children's Responses to Retarded Peers as a Function of Social Behaviors,Labeling,and Age

Abstract

The effects of socially inappropriate behaviors and the label “in a special class for the retarded” on the attitudes and behaviors of 48 8- and 9-year-old girls and 48 12- and 13-year-old girls were examined. Half of the subjects from each age group saw a videotape in which the target actress exhibited socially inappropriate behaviors. The remaining subjects saw a videotape in which she engaged in socially appropriate behaviors. Half of the subjects from each age group viewing each film were told that the target child was the same age as they were and in the same grade. The other subjects were told that the target child was the same age as they were and in a special class for the retarded. The results indicated that the child's social behaviors had a significant effect on the attitudes and behaviors of peers, while the label did not. Neither behavior nor labels affected the peers' performance as teachers of the target child. Older girls were more positive toward the target child than were the younger girls. The results also indicated that girls express more positive attitudes toward a target child if they already know someone in a special education class or if they have achieved the formal operations stage of cognitive functioning.