Age and Dyad Gender Composition Effects: The Development of the Liking Gap from Childhood to Adolescence

Abstract

The Liking Gap refers to the consistent tendency of individuals to underestimate how much they are liked by their conversation partners. While the Liking Gap has been found in both adults and children, its development from childhood into adolescence remains unclear. We also examined whether dyad gender composition influences the Liking Gap. This study investigated the emergence and development of the Liking Gap among children and adolescents (ages 4–17). Chinese children (n = 1231), Chinese adolescents (n = 467), and Dutch children (n = 372) participated in brief cooperative tasks with age- matched peers. Results showed that in the Chinese sample, the Liking Gap emerged around age 7, increased into early adolescence, and then stabilized. In the Dutch sample, the Liking Gap emerged at age 8. Contrary to expectations, dyad gender composition did not consistently moderate the Liking Gap. These findings highlight the importance of developmental, cultural, and contextual factors in understanding the Liking Gap among children and adolescents.