Age Differences in Interactions of Children in Multiage Play Settings

Abstract

The study tried to capture the social interactions of children in mixed age group play settings using the Observer Behaviour Software XT 7.0. 88 video clippings taken in 10 minutes duration each of mixed age group play settings in both urban as well as rural play settings in the combined state of Andhra Pradesh, India were analyzed. The results indicated that among all interactions, Verbal Positive, Verbal Negative, Physical Positive, Physical Negative, Gestural Positive and Gestural Negative and Ambivalent behaviours, the toddlers followed by preschool children displayed very high frequencies of behaviours in interaction with other children. For most of the observations,  the two – way ANOVA  were statistically significant. The primary school group involved more in care related interactions rather than social interactions with younger children.