Gender and Affiliative/Assertive Language Use By 7- & 17-Year-Olds with Siblings and Friends

As part of a longitudinal study, 7- and 17-year-olds' use of assertive and affiliative language was examined during sibling and friend interactions. Gender, relationship, and age all made a difference in rates of assertive and affiliative language use. Gender effects did not match previous peer findings at either age.