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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate young children's conceptions of friendship and transgressions. A total of 48 preschool children were asked, in an interview, to cite reasons for their friendships and nonfriendships, to provide judgements and evaluations of transgressions involving friends and nonfriends, and to indicate preferences for conflict resolving strategies for friends and nonfriends. Results of interviews indicated that young children do make conceptual distinctions between friends and nonfriends in terms of judgements and justifications concerning transgressions. The overall pattern of results suggests that children are forming and utilising conceptions of friendship that are invoked when evaluating social transgressions in the preschool years.

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Young Children's Conceptions of Transgressions with Friends and Nonfriends

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