Normative and Descriptive Analysis of Preschool Free Play Social Interaction Rates

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Abstract
The present study investigated a series of questions related to (a) normative description of observed social interaction variability within a relatively large sample comprised of 17 preschools, 29 classrooms, and 461 children; (b) an analysis of social interaction in terms of the demographic factors of age, sex, and previous preschool experience, and (c) a topographical description of interactive responding within ongoing social interactions. Results are reported in terms of means and standard deviations for the entire sample, for age and sex groupings, and for naturally occurring classroom groups. The demographic analysis indicated significant differences in interaction rates for age and sex. Younger students and females generally interacted and initiated interactions at significantly lower frequencies. Effects were not found for prior preschool experience. The topographical analysis indicated that even the lowest interactor in the sample received and reciprocated interactive bids at a minimum .84 probability level, demonstrating the power of peer social initiations to produce reciprocal responding. Low interactors and females typically received more initiations than they in fact made to peers. Females tended to reciprocate initiations to them less often than did males. Implications of these findings are discussed.

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