Abstract
First, what do we mean by the term “peer”? The term connotes equivalence between individuals, equivalence of developmental level or behavioral complexity (Lewis & Rosenblum, 1975). In most research on early peer relations, the term “peer” also implies same-age, since the context in which the children are studied is usually a graded classroom, a same-age situation (Hartup, 1980b). In history (Barker & Wright, 1955) and evolution (Konner, 1975), same-age peer relations during childhood are a recent development of advanced industrial states.