Abstract
A three-stage model of children's friendship concept development was delineated and tested. Derived from previous interview studies, the three stages were: (1) the Unilateral Physicalistic, (2) the Reciprocal Physicalistic, and (3) the Reciprocal Emotional. Cartoon simulations of stressful interactions between same-sex pairs of children described alternately as best friends or as acquaintances were presented to 149 girls and 129 boys in Grades 1 through 8. Three sets of cartoons were employed, each modeled on behaviors expected to pose threats of termination of friendship at one of the three stages. In two tasks, the children judged the relative cohesiveness or survival probability of the three simulated relationships. Since children at each of three age ranges judged the friendship whose “threats” were hypothesized to be germane to their own friendship concerns as least cohesive, the three-stage model was supported. Girls perceived greater cohesiveness in “best friendships” than did boys; all three age groups distinguished between “best friends” and the less intense form of peer relationship, judging the former to be more cohesive.
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