Peer Interactions
Developmental Trends
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Infancy
 attachment, joint attention, play, & language
Early childhood
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 play groups of 2 or 3 children
Parten’s play patterns
 unoccupied behavior
 solitary play
 onlooker behavior
 parallel play
 associative play
 cooperative play

Peer Interactions
Developmental Trends
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Middle childhood
 group activities
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 conform to social norms manage conflicts and cooperation
Early adolescence
 increased reliance on peers for support and recreation
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Increased division by race or ethnicity
Late adolescence
 greater ability to view others as individuals
 fewer groups, more flexibility in selecting friends

Characteristics of Friendships
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Infancy
 imitation, simple interaction, shared emotion
Early childhood
 conversation, social and pretend play
Middle childhood
 loyalty, stability
Early adolescence
 self-disclosure, possessiveness
Late adolescence
 selectivity, emotional dependence

Peer Acceptance
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Popular
 well-liked by peers
Rejected
 identified as not liked
Neglected
 few intense feelings of like or dislike by peer group
Controversial
 strongly liked by some, strongly disliked by others
Average
 liked by some, disliked by others