A five-year project by the University of Cambridge studied the cognitive and social development of 140 children between the ages of two and six.
The study focused on second-born children and was designed to include as many young parent and low-income families as possible. The children were studied annually and in different situations: with their families, friends and unacquainted children of the same age, and at school.
The children were assessed on their understanding and use of language, as well as on their planning skills, memory and inhibitory control.
The findings from the study were recently published in Social Understanding and Social Lives by Dr Claire Hughes, who focuses on the influences of children's social understanding to explain why some children lag behind their peers in this regard.
Dr Hughes said, 'Sibling relationships matter because they are so common. Around 80 per cent of children in the UK and US have a sibling. It's a long relationship and it changes over time.'
Dr Hughes added that siblings were 'natural allies' and the study suggested that younger siblings' social understanding increased as a result of teasing from their older brothers and sisters.
The study looked at what children might gain from a sibling relationship that they do not get from the relationship with their parents. 'Being on the same wavelength means that children can often spend several days playing the same pretend game, and being able to engage in pretence helps children to mind-read and connect with other children,' Dr Hughes said.
Children involved in pretend play with their siblings were recorded discussing their thoughts and feelings in depth.
Although siblings bicker, Dr Hughes said that argument was 'a really useful learning tool. What parents should take from this is whether they're learning to resolve disagreements.'
While parents should not worry about fighting when children are three and five, it is a concern 'if children are still arguing three years later' as sustained sibling rivalry can lead to behavioural problems and difficulties forming relationships.
'Children change dramatically in that time, with the younger ones learning how to assert themselves and making huge progress in talking about their thoughts and feelings and resolving conflict.'
The research also highlighted the importance of the quality of conversations between parents and children.
Dr Hughes said, 'The best way for parents to get good conversations off the ground is to tune into what their children are talking or thinking about at that particular moment. Talking about shared memories of past events is also very useful.'
- Social Understanding and Social Lives by Dr Claire Hughes is published by Psychology Press.
