Relationships among measures of social cognition and measures of social skill

This study was designed to examine relationships among measures of social cognition, social competence, and actual social behaviors observed naturalistically. Subjects were twenty‐three kindergarteners who completed standardized tests of social cognition and mental maturity. Teacher ratings and ratings of peer popularity were also obtained for each child. The children were then observed over a 90‐day period, as they worked together in small groups on tasks assigned by the teacher. The only kind of observed social behavior significantly related to performance on the test of social cognition was negative or aggressive comments, suggesting that more socially sophisticated children may have perceived social interactions as opportunities to manipulate or control their peers. Rating scales completed by the teacher emerged as the most accurate gauges of observed social behaviors.