Abstract
The role of children's social self-perceptions in their social development was examined. Participants were 644 fourth graders who completed peer nominations and self-ratings to measure their self-perceptions. Comparisons of children's self-ratings with ratings by teachers yielded scores for self-other agreement. Comparisons of children's perceived liked-most and liked-least nominations with peers' actual likedmost and liked-least nominations yielded scores for dyadic perception accuracy. Significant relationships were found among the self-perception measures and they were moderately stable over time. Significant sociometric status and gender effects were found for both generalized and dyadic perceptions. Inaccurate social self-perceptions predicted loneliness and internalizing behaviors. The results are consistent with the symbolic interactionist view of the link between social perceptions and relationships.
Recommended Citation
Cillessen, Antonius H. N. and Bellmore, Amy D.
(1999)
"Accuracy of Social Self-Perceptions
and Peer Competence in Middle Childhood,"
Merrill-Palmer Quarterly: Vol. 45:
Iss.
4, Article 6.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/mpq/vol45/iss4/6