Social Interaction in Same and Cross Gender Preschool Peer Groups: a participant observation study

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Abstract
About a third of play groups observed in a part‐time and full‐time early childhood centre were of mixed gender and two‐thirds were same gender. Mixed gender groups were larger than same gender groups and kindergarten (part‐time) groups were larger than childcare (full‐time) centre groups. In the kindergarten, outdoor play was much more common and there was a significant difference in boys preferring to play outdoors, followed by mixed groups and then girls. In both centres boisterous play was more likely in boys’ groups than girls’ groups, with mixed groups more similar to boys’ groups in the predominance of boisterous play. Boys’ groups in both centres exclusively used male themes for pretend play, while girls mostly used female themes and an occasional male theme. Mixed gender groups used male themes almost as much as male groups, but rarely or never used female themes. There was more physical conflict and rejection in mixed groups, than boys’ groups and none in girls’ groups in the kindergarten. There was more adult involvement in girls’ groups than in boys'groups in both centres, but mixed groups had an intermediate amount in the kindergarten and slightly more than girls in the childcare centre. Boys enjoyed noisy, rough and tumble play, competition for dominance, stereotyped male themes and sometimes actively rejected the presence of the researcher. Girls preferred quiet adult‐structured table activities and supportive conversations over activities with peers and adults. While there were examples of successful cross‐gender co‐operative play, there were also examples of the breakdown of reciprocity due to contrasting styles of play.

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