The relationship of preschool children’s habitual use of space to prosocial, antisocial, and social behaviors

Fifty-eight preschool children in classes for 2Vz- to 3-year-olds and 4- to 5-year-olds were observed for 10 weeks to assess the following behaviors: sharing, defense of objects and play areas, yielding to others’ attempts to take objects and/or play areas, impinging (attempting to take objects from others), sociability, and habitual use of space. Teachers’ ratings of dominance were also obtained. Children who spent 20% or more of their free time in one area were more likely than other children to share, and were less social and lower in dominance. Girls spent more time in preferred areas than did boys, but boys defended more than did girls. Frequency of yielding and impinging decreased with age, while sociability increased. Children tended to impinge on younger children more frequently than older children (p <.06). The results are discussed in relation to current literature on use of space, instrumental aggression, sharing, and territoriality.