Interpersona 1(1) Articles
Friendship and gender in preschoolers' conflicts

Abstract
Investigated the role of friendship and gender on conflict episodes of 48 preschoolers aged approximately 5 years and 8 months. Children were organized in dyads of same-sex friends and non-friends. Conflict situations were coded according to incidence, type, termination strategies, and finalizations. Gender differences were detected for type of conflict, with girls using more reasons for oppositions than boys. Termination strategies were used with a joint effect of friendship and gender: girl-friends preferred the tactic of standing firm whereas boy-friends chose more negotiation as means to deal with a disagreement, compared to the non-friend dyads. As for the results on conflict finalizations, friendship relations accounted for a significant difference found for agreement, while gender showed to be related to the use of disengagement among girls. Combined analysis between termination strategies and conflict finalizations indicated two significant differences: the first was related to friendship, through which children used more negotiation leading to agreement; the second showed a joint effect of friendship and gender, where non-friend girls tended to negotiate to reach disengagement, more often that non-friend boys. Findings for termination strategies – with girl-friends being more incisive and firm with their partners – diverge from the results provided by empirical literature, where boys are described as more autonomy- and domain oriented, and girls are prone to intimacy and social well-being in their relationships. Results are discussed with basis on previous studies conducted on conflict among preschoolers with considerations about the effects of gender and type of relationship.

Keywords: friendship; gender; conflict; preschoolers.

Notes
Este estudo apresenta parte da dissertação de mestrado da primeira autora, orientada pela terceira autora, e defendida no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia do Desenvolvimento da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Agradecimentos aos participantes, seus pais, professores e diretores das pré-escolas, que tornaram este estudo possível. Apoio: CNPq, CAPES e PROPESQ/UFRGS.

Endereço para correspondência:
Profa. Luciana K. de Souza, UFMG-FAFICH, gabinete F-4050
Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627 - Campus Pampulha
CEP: 31.270-901 - Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais
Telefones: (31)3499-6264/5022 / Fax: (31)3499-5027
E-mails: luciana.karine@ufrgs.br

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