Normal Children's Perceptions of Atypical Behavior in Their Peers.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine children's interpersonal perception by mapping out their differential reactions to typically aberrant peer behavior. A basic assumption was that social cognition is subjectively structured in a social context. Implications for mainstreaming were considered. Thirty-two third graders, half in a mainstreamed context with emotionally impaired classmates, viewed three videotaped vignettes of classroom interactions. Each vignette's central character was a child behaving in a distinctive aberrant way: a defiant-aggressive student; a restless-inattentive student; and a withdrawn, socially-ineffective student. Interviews probed subjects' ability to assume others' perspectives, their perceptions of each character's social acceptability, their underst and ing of the causes of each character's behavior and their perceived similarity to each character. It was hypothesized that subjects would respond differentially to the three vignette characters. Relationships between perceived social acceptability and subjects' own acceptance, and perceived social acceptability and perceptions of similarity were also expected. It was found that the aggressive character was judged least acceptable; the withdrawn character, while perceived as socially desirable in-school, was judged less desirable to peers as an after-school friend. Disruptive behaviors were more negatively assessed within, than outside of, the school context. Strong associations were found between subjects' perceptions of the characters' acceptability in-school and their perceptions of teacher acceptance of those characters, and subjects' sense of similarity to vignette characters and their perceptions of the characters' general social acceptability. No sex differences or school differences were found. It was concluded that situational factors affecting children's perceptions of social acceptability have a potent influence upon social cognition and hence children's perceptions of atypical peers.