A peek behind the fence: Naturalistic observations of aggressive children with remote audiovisual recording.

Abstract

This article describes a methodology that is uniquely suited to study peer interactions, particularly those of aggressive children. To date, researchers have used laboratory and naturalistic observations to investigate children's aggressive interactions. To overcome difficulties such as the constraints of laboratory situations and reactivity to proximal observations, video cameras and wireless micro-phones were used in a study of the peer relations of aggressive and nonaggressive children. Details about the equipment and procedures are provided, along with logistical and ethical considerations. Remote audiovisual observations provide a unique opportunity to observe children's interactions that generally occur beyond adults ' view. The primary strength of this observational methodology is its external validity. Children being observed are completely mobile on the school playground and are able to choose the activities and partners for their play. The effectiveness of this methodology is illustrated with results from our studies of children on school playgrounds. Researchers have identified peer relations as an important mechanism in the development of adaptive and maladaptive be-haviors (e.g., Hartup, 1983; Parker & Asher, 1987). In the case of aggressive children, peer interactions are presumed to ex-

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