Behavioral inhibition and peer interaction experiences in Chinese toddlers

• In Event: 1-117 - Development in context: Cultural influences from infancy to adolescence

Integrative Statement

Research in Western societies has shown that behavioral inhibition, an anxious reaction to unfamiliar and challenging situations, contributes to later socioemotional and school difficulties (Asendorpf et al., 2008). Inhibited children’s difficulties may be related to the emphasis on assertiveness/self-expression in socialization. The Chinese group-oriented society encourages social wariness and self-restraint, with vigilant and anxious behaviors inhibited children display perceived as appropriate, even desirable (Chen & French, 2008). Although behavioral inhibition may be viewed as increasingly maladaptive in major Chinese cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, individuals in many regions of the country have been less influenced by the massive social change (e.g., Chen, 2010). Moreover, despite the social change, core cultural values of group orientation and self-control have been likely maintained (e.g., Yang, 1986).

Little is known about social interactions of inhibited children in the early years and the purpose of this study was to explore relations between behavioral inhibition and peer interactions in Chinese toddlers. A sample of toddlers (N=188, 96 boys; Mean age=24 months) in Nanjing, China participated in two parts of laboratory behavioral observations. In the first part, we assessed behavioral inhibition (BI) individually (Chen et al., 1998). The paradigm consisted of a free play and sessions with the presence of an unfamiliar woman bringing a toy dump truck and some blocks and a toy robot that was black, moving, ‘smoking’, and making noises. She was silent initially and then invited the child to play with the toys. BI was coded based on the duration of the child’s physical contact with the mother in the free play, the latency to approach the stranger, and the latency to touch the toys. In the second part, we assessed interaction patterns of each child with an unfamiliar peer. The dyadic peer interactions were observed during a 10 minute free play session and coded for (1) active low-power (e.g., giving toys, inviting), neutral (e.g., walking toward the partner, touching toys), and high-power (e.g., grabbing toys, disruption) initiations; and (2) positive (e.g., compliance, reactions with positive affect), neutral (e.g., following the partner), and negative (e.g., rejecting and avoiding, grabbing toys) responses. Inter-rater reliabilities were acceptable for the coding of both BI and peer interaction (ks were above .80).

Multi-level analyses revealed, among the main results, that BI was positively associated with low-power initiations made by the peer (B = .056, SE = .019, t = 3.03, p < .01) and negatively associated with high-power initiations made by peers (B = -.051, SE = .023, t = -2.22, p < .05). In addition, BI was positively associated with peer positive responses when the child made low-power initiations (B = .040, SE = .012, t = 3.28, p < .001) and negatively associated with peer neutral and negative responses when the child made high-power initiations (B = -.009 and -.039, SE = .004 and .019, t = -2.35 and -2.10, ps < .05). Results suggest that inhibited toddlers tend to receive more positive and less negative initiations and responses from peers in social interactions.

Authors

• Xinyin Chen, University of Pennsylvania
  Presenting Author

• Siman Zhao, University of Dayton
  Non-Presenting Author

• Niobe Way, New York University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Hiro Yoshikawa, New York University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Guangzhen Zhang, Southeast University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Xi Chen, University of Illinois
  Non-Presenting Author