This study examined the correlations between sociometric choices and preschool peers' behavioral descriptions. The appropriateness of an instrument created for the evaluation of behavioral attributes for five years old was tested, using illustrative cards to motivate participants during the task. Behavioral social characteristics evaluated were: social acceptance/withdrawal, participation/lack of participation in schoolwork, dependence/independence from teacher and dominance/submission. Affective characteristics investigated were happiness/sadness and fear/courage. The instrument was adequate to its goals. The children were able of adequately discriminate most of the behavioral characteristics, attributing prosocial and positive affective characteristics to preferred peers and antisocial and negative affective descriptions to rejected peers. Gender differences were found: boys were evaluated by social characteristics whereas girls were evaluated by affective characteristics.
Social competence; sociometric status; preference by peers; evaluation of behavioral characteristics; social and affective characteristics
