Final answer:
Children with many positive self-reports of social preferences are typically well-liked, reflecting the importance of peer approval in adolescence. This well-liked status is built on a positive self-concept and healthy parent-child relationships, fostering peer cooperation and social competence.
Step-by-step explanation:
Children who receive many positive votes on self-reports of social preferences are generally considered to be well-liked among their peers. During adolescence, as noted by Shanahan et al. (2007), peer groups gain significant importance as adolescents work to form their identities and become more independent from parental influence. Despite this shift, there still exists a solid foundation for parent-child relationships, which are correlated with positive outcomes for children.
Moreover, a child's positive self-concept, as discussed by Maccoby (1980) and Ferrer & Fugate (2003), is linked with confidence and success in school and other activities. These well-liked children, forming part of mixed-gender peer groups, learn to cooperate and share as they develop, which also influences their self-concept and how they are perceived socially. An interesting aspect of how individuals perceive their social connections can be seen in the actor-observer bias study by Nisbett et al. (1973), which sheds light on the internal and external attributions people make about their likings.