Final answer:
The statement is true; children often interact with other sexes in groups during early development, mirroring aspects of primate social behavior where both sexes have integral roles. Group interactions serve as a platform for learning and adapting social behaviors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement "Early other-sex interactions occur mostly in groups" is true. During the early stages of development, such as in biological childhood and preadolescence, children often interact with each other in group settings rather than in one-to-one interactions. This group dynamic provides a social buffer and allows individuals to gradually learn the complexities of other-sex interactions within a safer, less intimidating context. It aligns with the understanding that humans are inherently social animals, and from our evolutionary past as hunter-gatherers to the complex social interactions seen in modern primates, social behaviors, and group structures have been a fundamental aspect of our development.
Research on primate social behavior also supports the idea that both female and male primates are integral to their social structures, often engaging in both competitive and cooperative interactions. While human social interactions are even more varied and richly complex, the basic principles of learning social norms, developing interpersonal skills, and negotiating relationships are still observed in our early peer interactions.