CHILDRENS RELATIONSHIPS WITH CLASSMATES: A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF FRIENDSHIP NOMINATIONS AND LIKING

Childrenʹs friendships are typically defined in terms of mutual (reciprocated) friendship nominations. The present research invesligated childrenʹs liking for all classmates (Grades I through 6) based on different types of friendship nominations: Mutual Friends (each nominated the other): Unilateral Given Friend (child nominated classmate); Unilateral Received Friend (classmate nominated child): or Not a Friend (neither nominated the other). Children liked classmates they nominated more than classmates they didnʹt nominate. Further, they liked Mutual Friends more than Unilateral Given Friends: and lhey liked Unilateral Received Friends more than Not Friends. In sum, children appeared to be aware of friendship reciprocity as evidenced by differential liking. These results highlight the dynamic nature of childrenʹs dyadic relationships and the importance of considering multiple forms of these relationships.