Teachers' and parents' perceptions of the behavior of competent and dysfunctional children based on the children's physical appearance and affective expression
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to compare two models of adults' perceptions of competent and dysfunctional children's behavioral adjustment based on children's attractiveness and affective expressions. Parents and teachers of young children rated pictures of preschool children who were known to be either socially competent or dysfunctional. The pictures were rated on aggression, anxiety, social competence, anger, sadness, happiness, attractiveness, intelligence, popularity, family functioning, and social acceptance. Results indicated that dysfunctional and competent children were easily identified from pictures alone. Specifically, dysfunctional children were rated as more aggressive and anxious and less socially competent than competent children as well as more angry and sad and less happy and attractive. Additionally, with attractiveness statistically controlled, affective expression still accounted for a significant amount of variance when predicting behavioral adjustment for all children and had the most influence on ratings of adjustment. Additionally, adults formed negative stereotypes of dysfunctional children by rating them as less intelligent, less popular, and more likely to be from a dysfunctional family than competent children. They also expressed less social acceptance of dysfunctional children. Implications for treatment of childhood behavior disorders are discussed in light of these results.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Dumas, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Psychotherapy|Developmental psychology|Social psychology
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