SANTOS, António J.; VAUGHN, Brian E.; STRAYER, F. Francis    DANIEL, João R.. Métodos de observação e análise para identificação das estruturas afiliativas de grupos de crianças em meio pré-escolar. []. , 26, 3, pp.447-461. ISSN 0870-8231.

Ethological models of social development stress that natural groups provide a variety of social contexts that differentially shape individual growth and development. However, behavioral studies of human and non-human primates have most often been limited to aggressive relations and social dominance structures. Investigations of the organization of affiliative behavior have been hampered by a lack of models and methods for the study of cohesive social structures. Network analyses of patterns of peer association provide an alternative basis for investigating the social organization of stable play groups and for assessing how structured roles within the group may influence individual development. Findings of the present research contribute directly to the operationalization of such descriptive models for representing cohesive structures in children’s peer groups. Results are discussed in terms of how the child’s insertion in the peer group affilliative structure constrains his or her social behavior and provides specific experiences that serve as contexts for the construction of more intimate personal relationships.

: Affiliative structures; social network analysis; peer relations.

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