Social Strategies and Sociometric Status Within the Context of Social Problem Types

Julie A. Hubbard and Antonius H.N. Cillessen

Duke University

The relation between children's sociometric status and their use of social strategies was investigated using a detailed classification of social strategies (25 codes). Strategy use was examined within the context of social problem type. 220 5-to-7 year-old boys (88 Popular, 51 Average, 81 Rejected) generated as many responses as possible to four types of social problems (Object Conflict, Object Loss or Damage, Group Entry, Activity Conflict). Popular boys generated more strategies from the categories compromise, take turns, negotiate and wait and hover and fewer strategies from the category aggress physically than average boys. Rejected boys generated more solutions from the categories behave in a prosocial but unrealistic manner, play something else with peer, and wait and hover than average boys. Social problem type was found to influence strategy use strongly.