Conflict resolution in 5-year-old boys: does postconflict affiliative behaviour have a reconciliatory role?

Reconciliation pattern after aggression among Japanese preschool children

“…This reconciliation pattern was confirmed for children who were separated briefly after aggression. These results are in good agreement with recent studies that have used the PC-MC comparison method [Butovskaya, 2001;Butovskaya and Kozintsev, 1999;Ljungberg et al, 1999;Verbeek and de Waal, 2001]. They are also consistent with the reconciliation pattern among nonhuman primates [Aureli and de Waal, 2000;Aureli et al 2002].…”

“…Eight exclusive affiliation types were recorded: apology (in PC), object offer, symbolic offer (e.g., giving a turn to the opponent), compromise, invitation to play, non-aggressive close interaction and talking that did not include an apology, touching the opponent's body in a friendly manner, and joining in the opponent's play [Sackin and Thelen, 1984;Ljungberg et al, 1999]. Acceptance of the affiliative attempt was identified as the receiver nodding, smiling, or saying 'yes' [Ljungberg, et al, 1999].…”

“…Since most previous studies have focused on the immediate outcome of aggression [McGrew, 1972;Strayer and Strayer, 1976;Sackin and Thelen, 1984], such studies might have missed an interaction that occurred after a short-term separation. Indeed, recent studies have shown that interaction between children does not end immediately after aggression, and they still interact with opponents shortly after the aggression [Butovskaya and Kozintsev, 1999;Ljungberg et al, 1999;Verbeek and de Waal, 2001].…”

“…This hypothesis was investigated in human children by Ljungberg et al [1999]. They examined the rate of displacement activities (e.g., jumping up and down, screaming, running around) of children involved in aggression, as an index of stress.…”

Aggression and Withdrawal Related Behavior within Conflict Management Progression in Preschool Boys with Language Impairment

“…Reconciliation has been found to facilitate developmental peer interaction after challenging situations as peer conflicts [5][6][7], and may thereby contribute to sustaining sequential socio-emotional and behavioral maturation in preschool children. Preschool children reconcile to manage conflict with behaviors as play initiations, body contact, objects offerings, symbolic offerings (play desired role, have first turn), self-ridicule, apologies and ritualistic rhymes [5,28]. Non-affiliative strategies are also exhibited in conflict management, as retaliation, redirected aggression, stress-related auto-manipulation or displacement activities, and avoidance [29,30].…”