This study examined relations between children's humor, behavioral characteristics, acceptance by peers in kindergarten and primary school, and self-perceptions. Subjects were 35 kindergarten, 88 fourth grade, and 95 eighth grade Norwegian children. For all students, assessments included sociometric ratings of classmates, teacher assessments of…

This study examined the aggressive behaviors of children through peer ratings to teacher ratings of problem behaviors and social skills and peer ratings of friendship. Peer data are valid measures and may be more accurate than teacher or self measures because peers are more likely to be present when aggression occurs. This study examines a peer…

The relation between simulation activities and the attitudes of preschoolers without handicaps toward handicapped peers was examined. For 7 weeks, simulation activities were conducted once a week for 45 minutes with 13 nursery school/kindergarten students assigned to an experimental group. Subjects were asked to name three name-calling adjectives…

To further particularize differences between rejected and neglected children, 196 adolescents enrolled in 7th, 8th, and 9th grades were identified by their peers as "populars," rejected "unpopulars," and neglected "unknowns." The students were also compared on (1) psychological assessments of self-esteem, loneliness, and sense of belonging, and…

A program growing from the need for foreign college students to have more contact with native English-speakers matches a university extension program's students of English as a second language (ESL) with American students studying foreign languages at the university level. The ESL students are given the native students' telephone numbers and…

The study examined teacher and peer assessment of 34 mainstreamed educable mentally retarded (EMR) children in grades 3 through 6 in nine public schools in central Illinois. A comparison sample of 34 nonretarded Ss was matched to the EMR Ss on sex, race, and grade level. Children in each S's regular classroom were asked to rate on a five-point…

For one school year, the classroom and playground social behaviors of normally developing and developmentally delayed children were analyzed for the occurrence of interactions across gender, across race and ethnicity, and across developmental condition. The potential impact of teachers' nonsexist language, and encouragement of interaction among…

The purpose of this study was to see if a social learning method for training verbal social skills might influence the social effectiveness of third grade children with low peer acceptance. Children were trained in three verbal skills: asking questions of peers; leading peers (e.g., offering useful suggestions or directions); and, offering…

This paper presents a discussion of the integration of handicapped children into preschool programs. The paper is divided into five sections. The first section defines some of the terms frequently used in discussions of mainstreaming. These terms include mainstreaming; normalization; P. L. 94-142, the law providing for education for all…

A study was conducted to test the effects of early consistent rejection by peers in early elementary school on children's social and emotional adjustment at the end of elementary school. The study used data from a longitudinal study conducted in the Netherlands between 1986 and 1991. In 1986, a total of 231 kindergarten and first-grade boys from…

Reported in this symposium are (1) a study of interpersonal awareness, peer acceptance, and interpersonal strategies among Australian preschool children, by Norman F. Kafer, (2) a longitudinal study of the learning preferences of Australian primary and secondary school students, by Lee Owens, and (3) an abstract of an investigation of co-operative…

Social interactions in Head Start mainstreamed classrooms were studied using as Ss 20 mildly and moderately retarded preschool children and 20 nonretarded children. Data analyzed consisted of the following social interactions: initiations, responses, mode of communication, and affective tone of behavior. Findings showed that retarded Ss generally…

Scholastic achievements of high school students and the impact which these achievements have on adolescents' feelings of personal worth are examined. Nine hundred and thirty-four subjects from nine Iowa secondary schools participated in the study. The hypothesis that in high academic achievers more positive self-concept scores are found among…

The purpose of this study was to identify child characteristics associated with varying rates of oral participation in classrooms. The study also attempted to determine why some children seek social approval through an approach strategy while others use an avoidance strategy. Anxiety, defensiveness, self-concept of school ability, sociometric…

This paper focuses on the theory and rationale of assessing the social behavior of children. It is asserted that child social behavior must be assessed accurately in order to do research on socialization. Socialization is defined as the process by which an individual learns to interact with others. It is proposed that it is possible to design a…