Diane Shrier

Date of Award

1-1-1964

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Medical Doctor (MD)

First Advisor

Dr. Seymour L. Lustman

Abstract

[From the Purpose] The purpose of the present study is threefold: 1. To determine the typical pattern of spontaneous play for a group of twenty-five four year old nursery school children with regard to the relative amounts of time spent alone, with their peers, and with adults. 2. To define the existence and nature of correlations between each of the following: Alone and Peer; Peer and Adult; and Alone and Adult. One would predict, on the basis of previous studies already mentioned, a negative correlation both for Peer and Adult and for Alone and Peer. One would not anticipate a significant correlation between Alone and Adult. Both represent rather immature types of social behavior which would be expected to diminish concurrently as development progresses. 3. To find out whether or not significant differences exist between play patterns in regard to eight variables selected from information contained in the nursery school teachers' yearly reports and in questionnaires submitted to the parents. The eight variables were: a. sex b. number of days per week attending school c. ordinal position d. sex of siblings e. working status of mother f. presence of absence of autoerotic behavior g. success of toilet training h. whether or not the child was characterized as being a worried child. As this part of the study necessitated subdividing the twenty-five children into smaller groups for each variable (according to how they were rated for the particular variable), only very small samples - statistically speaking - could be dealt with. Although the validity of a larger study could not be claimed, it was hope that the results obtained would be suggestive and indicate areas of interest for future research.

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This is an Open Access Thesis.

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