A Social Network Analytics Approach of Exploring the Characteristics of Peer Interaction for Senior Preschoolers

Peers are important others in children's social interactions, and peer interactions promote children's social development. This study aimed to explore the characteristics of peer interaction for senior preschoolers by a social network analytics approach. A total of 34 senior preschoolers were selected from a private preschool in China, and the social network theory was used to analyze the characteristics of their peer interactions based on a 14-day informal class observation. The software of Ucinet 6 was used for data analysis. The results of this study suggest the following characteristics of peer interactions among senior preschoolers: there were significant differences in the centrality of peer networks among different children; there was a tendency for one-way choices and the “gender segregation” phenomenon in terms of choosing friends; peer groups could be divided into closely related subgroups, and there was a core-periphery structure in the whole network of the class; and the individual network indicators were higher for non-only children than for only children. In view of these characteristics of peer interaction, the paper concludes with educational strategies to promote peer interaction among senior preschoolers.