PEER PERSUASION AND DOMINANCE DURING PLAY AMONG KINDERGARTEN LEARNERS

Volume-09 Issue 11, November-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/ IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [317] PEER PERSUASION AND DOMINANCE DURING PLAY AMONG KINDERGARTEN LEARNERS Richie B. Loren Faculty, Central Mindanao University Princess Lawren A. Aringo Jessa Mae A. Coca Jesel S. Despi Raniel Jade V. Escala Ceilo Ingrid G. Idul Jan Marrie F. Maningo Ivy Grace A. Martinez Dalemark Dave C. Ovar Jenny Ann T. Salazar Carla Mae A. Samosa Central Mindanao University ABSTRACT This study aimed to examine how kindergarten children demonstrate peer persuasion and dominance during play to better understand their social development. The participants were one section of 5-year-old children enrolled at musuan integrated school in musuan, maramag, bukidnon. Using a naturalistic observation method, the researchers observed the children’s free play without interference to identify dominance tactics, peer responses, and the frequency of successful persuasion. The findings revealed that the children used a mix of verbal commands, non-verbal gestures, and physical actions to show dominance. Peer responses were mainly compliance, resistance, or withdrawal, with many children allowing dominant peers to lead in order to maintain group harmony. The frequency of successful persuasion varied from 20% to 87.5% of observed interactions. The study concludes that play serves as an important setting for developing social influence and leadership skills among young children. These results highlight the value of observing play behavior to better support social and emotional learning in early childhood education. Keywords: Peer Persuasion, Dominance, Social Interaction, Verbal Commands, Non-Verbal Gestures INTRODUCTION Peer persuasion is defined as the influencing of others within a social environment (Williams & Schaller, 2025). Similarly, Lonigro et al. (2016) defined it as the influence children exert on one another's behaviors, decisions, or attitudes through interaction. By the age of five, during which children start complex social behaviors in group play, automatically, leadership, negotiation, and cooperation occur, the child commences developing peer persuasions and dominance by trying to express an idea, persuade their peers to accept the way they want to play, and even wants to be the leader of the group. Despite the growing understanding of children’s social development, few studies have focused on how persuasion and dominance occur naturally in the course of play among Filipino children. Although available related studies (e.g., Katerkamp & Horn, 2025; Mullen et al., 2023; Scott, 2023) do affirm that dominance and influence are present in peer play and childrens’ interaction, most of these studies were conducted in Western contexts or with older participants. There is a need to examine such social behaviors in local early learning settings, where cultural norms, teacher practices, and peer relationships may shape how influence and leadership manifest. This study, therefore, particularly investigates the dominance tactics manifested by five-year-old children during free play, describes their peers' responses to persuasion and dominance, and ascertains how frequent persuasion results in successful cooperation. Volume-09 Issue 11, November-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/ IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [318] Understanding how children express persuasion and dominance during playful contexts has huge implications for early childhood education. It will also provide educators, parents, and caregivers with considerable insight into the ways in which young children learn about social influence and leadership through a naturally occurring play environment. It will help teachers design a play-based strategy that encourages positive peer interaction, cooperation, and respect for others' ideas. In this way, the present study contributes to building a caring and socially responsive classroom environment that supports children's social and emotional growth. OBJECTIVES The main objective of the study is to examine how peer persuasion and dominance appear during play among kindergarten learners through naturalistic observation. Specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions: 1) What specific dominance tactics do children ages 5 naturally use during play interactions? 2) What types of peer responses (e.g., compliance, resistance) occur following the use of dominance tactics in play? 3) How often do children successfully persuade their peers to join or follow their play activities? METHODOLOGY This part presents the methods used in the study, including the research design, location, participants, instruments, data collection, and ethical considerations. It describes how the study was conducted to ensure accurate and reliable results. Research Design In this study, a naturalistic observation design was used to study peer persuasion and dominance in play among 5-year-old children. Behaviors were recorded as they naturally took place, with no manipulation of the environment or influence on the children's actions. This design documented authentic social interactions involving persuasion, leadership, and control during games. The children were observed over a period of one week, covering two days, and one hour per session, either during free play or recess. The researchers observed and recorded the instances of persuasion, cooperation, and dominance using the prepared observation checklist and field notes. Research Locale The study was conducted at Musuan Integrated School, located in Musuan, Maramag, Bukidnon. The school provided a natural and familiar environment where children regularly engaged in group-based and cooperative play. The kindergarten classroom and outdoor play area served as the main observation sites. These areas offered rich opportunities to observe real peer interactions and leadership dynamics among young children. Participants The participants of this study were one section of kindergarten children aged 5 years old enrolled at Musuan Integrated School. The class was observed as a whole group to capture the natural flow of play and communication among peers. No special instructions or tasks were given to the children to preserve the authenticity of their play behavior. Parental consent and teacher approval were obtained prior to data collection to ensure the ethical involvement of all participants. Data Collection Procedures The researchers conducted the observations for one week, covering two days, with one hour per session during the children’s free play periods. Before the observation began, the researchers asked permission from the school administration (principal) and the classroom teacher to conduct the study. Afterwards, they obtained written parental consent for all participating children and explained the general purpose of the observation using simple, age-appropriate language. During the data-gathering phase, the researchers served as non-participant observers, meaning they did not interfere with the children’s play or provide instructions. An observation checklist was used to document different types of persuasion (e.g., verbal reasoning, offering, insistence) and dominance indicators (e.g., leadership, control of materials, proposal acceptance). Field notes were also used to record specific behaviors, dialogues, and social contexts. At the end of each observation day, the researchers reviewed and summarized their notes to identify emerging patterns of interaction. Ethical Considerations Volume-09 Issue 11, November-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/ IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [319] The researchers followed strict ethical rules to protect the rights and safety of all participants. Before the study began, the researchers asked permission from the teacher and the school principal to conduct the study through a consent form that explained the purpose, process, duration, and minimal risks of the study. The researchers ensured the privacy and confidentiality of all information collected. The children’s real names were not used; instead, pseudonyms were assigned to protect their identities. All observation notes and files were securely stored and accessible only to the research team. The collected data were used solely for educational and research purposes. Furthermore, the researchers took great care to ensure that every child remained comfortable and emotionally safe throughout the study. If any child showed signs of distress, the observation was immediately stopped, and the teacher was promptly informed. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Table 1. The common dominance tactics that children ages 5 naturally use during play interactions. Major Themes Sub-themes Verbal Persuasion and Assertiveness Spoken Invitations Non-verbal Persuasion Gestures Physical Tactics Commands/Directives Table 1 presented the common dominance tactics that children ages 5 naturally use during play interactions. A total of three major themes were identified from the observation. (1) Verbal Persuasion and Assertiveness, (2) Non-verbal Persuasion, and (3) Physical Tactics. The identified dominance tactics that children naturally use during play interactions include: (1) Spoken Invitation which are the verbal phrases used by children to directly invite peers to join their play, such as "come play with us." (2) Gestures are the non-verbal signals like nodding, smiling, tugging, or holding out toys to draw attention or invite others into play. (3) Commands or Directives are authoritative verbal expressions used by children to direct peers within the play context like "go back to the start". Also, it often includes both verbal statements and non-verbal actions such as pointing or gesturing that manage and organize play. Verbal Persuasion and Assertiveness Verbal persuasion is one of the primary strategies children used to influence their peers to join and engage to the games or activities. This involve inviting peers explicitly, encouraging participation, and negotiating rules or roles within the game. It is revealed that the most frequent strategy in verbal persuasion is direct invitations (e.g. "Come play with us," "Let's play tag"), encouragement, and reasoning ("It will be more fun with more players"). Verbal assertiveness is seen as part of the common dominance and persuasion strategy for young children, and is particularly used by confident, outgoing children; commands are often more successful than requests or screaming (Baiocco, R., et al., 2016). Spoken Invitations Children often use spoken invitations as a straightforward and direct method of verbal persuasion when inviting peers to engage in play activities. These invitations are usually simplified, clear, and encouraging, such as “Come play with us,” “Let's play tag,” or “Join our team.” The invitations often occur along with explanations or motivations that drives their peers to like the game or activities and eventually make an effective persuasion (Williams, D. E., & Schaller, K. A., n. d.). Non-verbal Persuasion Following verbal persuasion, non-verbal behaviors which includes gestures, eye contact, facial expressions, and showing toys or materials is seen to be an instrument used by children to persuade other children to follow their leads during play (Ajmal, A., et al., 2021) Children nod, pull their peers up gently, smile, make eye contact, and use hand gestures to invite others. Non-verbal communication scaffolds verbal interaction in that children can signal their interest and invitation in subtle ways that facilitate peer cooperation with or without spoken language (20 Evidence-Based Social Skills Activities and Games for kids., n.d.). Gestures Non-verbal gestures play an important role in peer persuasion wherein children use the following gestures: nodding, eye contact, hand movements-beckoning or pulling-and the display of toys or materials to invite or encourage their peers to join in a play. Admin, & Admin (2024, September 24) found that gestures mostly convey friendliness, inclusion, and emotional cues that are important for engagement, particularly for children who may be less verbal or to signal subtle social cues that regulate flow and cooperation within a group. Also, Volume-09 Issue 11, November-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/ IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [320] gestures are often used to dominate other children through making a hard eye-contact, or signaling someone to follow the lead. Physical Tactics Physical tactics involve pulling a peer's arm, blocking pathways, grabbing toys or body parts, or placing one's body to control play is a sign of dominance that attempts to assert power and control with peers. The researchers found that physical dominance is less common than verbal strategies but tends to occur particularly when a child feels confident in his or her physical abilities or seeks to lead through direct control wherein, children tries to interrupt peers' decisions or override them as a sign of dominating the game. They might alter game rules or take over group choices without agreement. For example, children pulling others into play, blocking, or pushing as a way to alter group or game rules (Katerkamp, A., & Horn, L., 2025). Commands or Directives The most common way children claim social dominance is through the use of command or directives, given either verbally, such as "Go back to the start!", or non-verbally such as pointing, blocking. Such behaviors command control over the structure and rules of the game, assign roles and direct play. It was revealed that some commands are cooperatively accepted while others are resisted or elicit withdrawal, revealing the negotiation involved in peer relations. Dominance through commands is subtle; drawing a balance between one's assertion and the group's compliance, children display their awareness of the limits at times through the act of negotiating or modifying their commands (Lease, A. M. & Martin, R. P., 2022). Table 2. Types of peer responses that occur following the use of dominance tactics during play. Major Themes Sub-themes Compliance Negotiation Agreement Compromise Resistance Refusal Withdrawal Table 2 presented the types of peer responses that commonly occur following the use of dominance tactics during play. A total of two major themes were identified from the observation: (1) Compliance, and (2) Resistance. The identified peer responses that commonly occur following the use of dominance tactics during play includes: (1) Negotiation includes reasoning, compromises, and rule adjustments used by children to manage conflicts and include hesitant peers during play. (2) Agreement occurs when some peers comply immediately with dominant children's directives, facilitating group cohesion and smooth play flow. (3) Compromise is when refusal occurs, where children may find middle ground by modifying activities or engaging in parallel play. (4) Refusal is when peers actively say no or resist invitations or dominance. And (5) Withdrawal occurs when some children disengage or play separately to avoid conflict or over-stimulation. Compliance Compliance is when children agree to an invitation, command, or social cue of their peers through acceptance, participation, or following the group norms and rules. Children were repeatedly observed to readily accept invitations to enter games, follow commands during game playing (e.g. "Go back to the start!"), and negotiate with things. Children often comply to whatever the decisions, and plan that the group had. The researchers saw that it is the most common responses that children uses during an interaction or in an activity (Chen, J., et al., 2020). Negotiation Negotiation during play involves children talking through and making amendments to game rules, roles, and activities in arriving at a mutually acceptable arrangement. The observations reveal children actively negotiating roles and rules, sometimes in response to dominance attempts by offering suggestions to modify play (Carpenter, M., 2016). Research by Cogburn, M., & Scott, H. K. (2023, July 4) attests that negotiation reflects developing social-cognitive skills, such as perspective-taking and problem-solving, which help children balance their desires with those of peers to enhance cooperation and inclusiveness. Agreement Agreement refers to those instances of children who accept proposals, join the games, and agree with group decisions. It was expressed either by a verbal 'yes', through nodding, or simply by joining in (Crumpei-Tanasă et Volume-09 Issue 11, November-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/ IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [321] al., 2023). Agreement is a hallmark of social unity and mutual involvement; and it was found that it is one way to communicates mutual understanding and the intention of cooperation. It is supported in literature that verbal invitations, embedded in positive non-verbal gestures, increase the chances of peer agreement and nurture positive group dynamics (Ardianti, E., et al.,2023). Compromise Compromise involves children yielding or altering initial desires in order to accommodate others in sustaining the continuation of the play or activities. It was revealed that the instances where children negotiate playing dual games or adjusting rules to suit different preferences are common. Complementary non-verbal behaviors facilitate signaling on the part of the children their intentions for cooperation, with the general aim of minimizing conflict. Most of the children were found to compromise during the interaction in order to have a smooth flow of the activity (Augustine, L., 2019). Resistance Resistance seems to appear when children refuse to join in the play, reject commands, challenge dominance behaviors, or withdraw from interactions. It was found that refusals, negotiation attempts, and withdrawal behaviors is an episodes of responses to persuasion and dominance. Resistance is an important expression of autonomy and personal boundaries within social interactions. Sometimes, it takes the form of verbal disagreement, refusal to participate, physical resistance like pushing back, or emotional withdrawal from the group. Research underlines that resistance may mold the balance of power in peer groups and trigger renegotiations of rules and roles within plays (Berger, R. H., et al., 2016). Refusal Refusal involves explicit or implicit rejection of invitations, commands, or group decisions. The researchers found that children sometimes verbally say no, refuse to join, or express disinterest, and at times non-verbally withdraw or avoid engagement. Refusal is a vital form of asserting autonomy and regulating social boundaries. It also challenges dominant structures, prompting renegotiation and diversity in play. Refusal can also signal emotional states like discomfort or preference, hence shaping peer interactions (DeLay, D., et al., 2015). Withdrawal It was found that withdrawal is more than refusal; it is a disengagement from play or social interaction that occurs as a reaction sometimes to conflict, dominance, or frustration. Withdrawal is usually preceded by emotional displays that suggest distaste or sadness. Children then engage in solitary play or sit alone, and even in a form of rejection to not engage with the activity. Withdrawal is a self-protective behavior for children when social demands outweigh their coping resources. This suggests the need for sensitivity from adults in supporting children's behavior in play contexts (Grueneisen, S., & Tomasello, M., 2022). Table 3. The frequency with which children successfully persuade peers to join or follow their play activities. Positive Persuasion Highest Percentage 87.5% Lowest Percentage 20% HP-LP: 87.5%-20% = 67.5% Varied by 67.5% percentage points (High/Strong Persuasion/Dominance) It was revealed that children are quite successful in persuading their peers to join or follow their play activities, with persuasion success rates varying widely—from 20% up to 87.5%, revealing a 67.5 percentage point difference across contexts. This variation reflects differences in individual social skills, group dynamics, and situational factors. Children frequently use a combination of verbal invitations ("Come play with us," "Let's play tag"), non-verbal gestures (nodding, eye contact, hand movements), and, at times, gentle physical encouragement (pulling a peer’s hand) to persuade others to join or follow their play. These multi-modal strategies contribute significantly to successful persuasion and peer compliance (Ahmad, J., et al., 2020). The high end of success (up to 87.5%) shows that children commonly achieve their social goals when engaging peers with clear, confident communication coupled with positive non-verbal cues. However, the lower end (20%) suggests challenges such as peer refusal, individual preferences for alone time, or resistance to dominance, reflecting the complexity of social negotiation in peer play (Jay, J. & Kirk, G., 2018). Volume-09 Issue 11, November-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/ IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [322] Children’s success in persuading peers aligns with their developmental progression in language, social cognition, and emotional expression. As they develop greater confidence and strategic use of language and nonverbal cues, their ability to engage and influence peers improves. Furthermore, 20 Evidence-Based Social Skills Activities and Games for kids. (n.d.). posited that successful persuasion often occurs within established social networks where trust, familiarity, and shared interests underpin cooperation. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We thank all individuals whose invaluable support and contributions made this study possible. To Mr. Richie B. Loren, research adviser, for the insightful guidance, innovative ideas, dedicated effort, patience, and genuine concern, which have been crucial in shaping this study and ensuring its success; To the class adviser, Mrs. Nerisa V. Cortes, for her cooperation, trust, and support that significantly contributed to the success of this research; To the researchers’ parents, for their unwavering emotional, moral, spiritual, and financial support, their love and encouragement have been vital in overcoming the challenges encountered throughout this journey; Most importantly, we express our deepest gratitude to Almighty God for His unwavering wisdom and power. Through His guidance, blessings, and grace, we have been able to overcome numerous challenges and successfully complete the task on hand; and Lastly, we extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed in any capacity. CONCLUSION Children ages 5 naturally use a combination of verbal commands, non-verbal gestures, and physical actions as dominance tactics during play interactions. These include giving directives to organize games, pointing or gesturing to control play flow, and physical behaviors like blocking or grabbing to secure resources. They frequently interrupt or override peers' decisions by altering rules or taking control of group choices, demonstrating early leadership and negotiation skills. Dominance also manifests through selective generosity and alliance formation to build influence. Children flexibly switch between coercive strategies (asserting control, monopolizing toys) and prosocial strategies (negotiation, cooperation) based on peer responses and situational demands. These tactics highlight emerging autonomy, social regulation, and group dynamics in preschool play. Peer responses to dominance tactics in kindergarten play manifest primarily as compliance, resistance, or withdrawal. Some children comply by yielding to directives, allowing dominant peers to lead and maintain group cohesion. Others resist by challenging leadership, arguing over rules, or asserting their own preferences, indicating early negotiation and autonomy development. Withdrawal or stepping aside also occurs, where children avoid conflict by playing separately or disengaging temporarily. These varied responses reflect children's emerging social regulation skills and highlight how dominance can both unify groups and provoke shifts or tensions in peer dynamics. Children successfully persuade their peers to join or follow their play activities with high variability, ranging from 20% to 87.5% of observed interactions. This wide range (67.5 percentage points) reflects diverse social strategies, where some children use direct verbal and non-verbal invitations effectively, while others exhibit lower persuasion frequency. Successful persuasion often involves a mix of clear communication, negotiation, and social cues, supported by existing friendships and cooperative behaviors. Despite occasional refusals, persuasion generally fosters group belonging and sustained play. 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