Interindividual Relationships in Groups of Young Children and Susceptibility to an Environmental Constraint

It was investigated whether the behavioral reactions of young children to modifications of the playroom arrangement were modulated as a function of their relationships with peers. Interpersonal relationships between 21-month-old and 36-month-old children were observed in three groups. Hierarchical cluster analysis led to seven types of dyadic relationships among peers. In each group, the arrangement of the furniture was modified to compare visually open to visually restricted playroom arrangements. The type of arrangement did not change the joint use of play areas and the social interactions for the peers whose relationships were weak. In contrast, for children showing an emerging relationship, the playroom arrangement affected the quantity and the quality of their social interactions. The presence of major visual obstacles also markedly hindered their joint use of adult-distant areas, except for some children showing a particularly tight relationship. Results are discussed with regard to the development of relationships among young children.