Peer Relationships and Popularity in a Group of Preschool Children

Peer relationships are key to the social development of preschool children as they enable them to learn social skills. Popularity in the group, measured as sociometric status, reflects the social acceptance of the child among peers. Popular children are often prosocial, friendly, flexible and show a lower level of withdrawal and aggression. The research on a sample of 20 preschool children, the purpose of which was to determine which children are popular in the group and what are the factors that influence the popularity or social acceptance of these children in the group, showed that in the group of preschool children, they associate popularity with characteristics such as kindness, physical attractiveness, emotional competence and social sensitivity. Such children are important to the dynamics of the group as they facilitate interactions and contribute to a positive social environment.