PARTNER PREFERENCES IN MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILDRENS PLAYFUL FIGHTING AND CHASING - A TEST OF SOME COMPETING FUNCTIONAL HYPOTHESES

Observations of 8- and 11-year-old middle school children's participation in rough-and-tumble play (r/t) were related to sociometric data for liking and strength in order to examine functional hypotheses. Partners in r/t liked each other more than chance predicted, and tended to be closely matched for strength. Neither initiators of r/t episodes nor recipients were consistently perceived to be the strongest partner. The data provide some, though not absolute, support for the views that r/t is functionally related to affiliation, dominance, and to the development of real fighting skills. Some limitations of this approach, and some alternatives, are discussed.