After establishing a basic self-concept, children's understanding of themselves evolves through several stages. From ages 2 to 4, they exhibit increased social behavior, enjoy playing with peers, and begin to understand gender roles, though sharing can be difficult. By age 4, they develop cooperation, can share when asked, and show autonomy by initiating tasks. At age 6, their self-concept expands to include group memberships, such as identifying as a first-grader. During the school-age years, children engage in social comparison, evaluating themselves against peers to identify their competencies and personality traits.