A Developmental Study of the Role Assignment Processes in the Symbolic Play

This study examines the developmental processes of 4-year-old children\u27s choice of roles and negotiation about role assignment with peers in the symbolic play. The children at the same corner in the classroom, "playing house corner" were observed and recorded by a video camera and field-notes for one year. The three major results were as follows : (1) There is a developmental tendency to use from a symbolic token to verbal declaration as expression of the choice of a role. (2) The individual differences of choice and negotiation are salient at the earlier time of school year. (3) The failure of role assignment results from role refusal by other children and role abandonment by oneself. The developmental processes of role-negotiation and assignment processes among children show the relationship building and self-realization processes through play