Environment and Behavior in a Play Group: Effects of Varying Physical Resources

Research project underway at the University of Sheffield, England, to examine how variations in the physical and social environment affect behavior in groups of preschool children. In its first year, currently in progress, the effects on behavior of relative abundance or scarcity of important resources of the physical environment (available space and available toys and apparatus) are being studied. In the second year, effects of variation in the social environment (staff attitudes and behavior) will be examined. (Author)