Interactivity in childhood cultures

approaches, friendship and con- flicts among babies

Abstract

The article aims to analyze the interactivity between babies in a municipal nursery school, with emphasis on their approximations, relationships of friendship and conflicts. It is a qualitative investigation, inspired by the ethnography with children that used as instruments for data collection observation with field notes and filming. The the- oretical framework is based on authors who recognize babies as capable of sharing experiences with one another, especially in the ways they approach, create bonds of friendship, and resolve conflicts. We understand interactivity as socially and culturally constructed for dealing with friendship and conflict only within the framework of an internal disposition would be counter-intuitive. The interpretation of the data confronted us with impressions, videos and field notes in the production of meanings. We found a certain frequency in intra-gender groupings and the status of popularity among some babies. Another point to note is that the interactions were not stable, probably a strategy to maintain wider contacts and gain acceptance and participation in the group.