Examined concurrent and longitudinal links between observational measures of 8- to 9-year olds' playground behaviors/peer contacts (alone, conversation, group size, and network) and three sociometric measures of peer relationships (social preference, bully, and victim). Found significant concurrent and predictive relationships, with relationships…

This study investigated the prospective links between three forms of peer adversities (i.e., victimization, rejection, and lack of reciprocated friendships) and children's perceptions of themselves and of their peers. The sample consisted of 212 children (107 boys and 105 girls, 11-13 years) recruited from four primary schools and followed up for…

After viewing "Sesame Street" inserts containing non-white children, white preschool children showed a strong preference for playing with nonwhites as opposed to whites. This attitude sharply contrasted with control group preferences. (BRT)

A reliable measure of children's skills in discriminating intention cues was developed to test the hypothesis that such skills are related to social competence. The instrument was administered to 176 kindergarten, second-grade, and fourth-grade children who were identified as being popular, average, socially rejected, or socially neglected.…

Behavioral observations and sociometric methods revealed a stable dominance hierarchy in eight groups of 12- to 14-year-old male and female adolescents at a summer camp. (JMB)

Examined linkages between 5- to 6-year-olds' participation in friendships, peer acceptance, and peer victimization and their school adjustment over time. Found evidence that adjustment was influenced by the diverse experiences encountered in different forms of relationships and that certain types of relationships had greater or lesser adaptive…

Used prospective longitudinal design to examine peer rejection, aggressive behavior, and social withdrawal among 107 maltreated and 107 nonmaltreated children. Found that chronic maltreatment was associated with heightened risk of peer rejection from childhood to early adolescence. Aggression accounted largely for the association between chronic…

This study tests the hypothesis that, during adolescence, antisocial behavior becomes positively associated with peer acceptance. This hypothesis was tested considering both classroom and out-of-class peer relations. Data from a previously published study, with a cross-sectional sample of 577 Italian 11- to 13-year-olds, were used. Analyses showed…

Examines children's cognitive phases by describing the role that distinctiveness and consistency information play in the causal attributions and behavior of peer-rejected and aggressive children. Correlates the existence of social information and lack of social information to the response style. (RJC)

Measures humor appreciation (including mirth, subjective ratings, and response sets), comprehension, and production in children between the ages of 10 and 14. Relates humor to several areas of competence manifested at school. (HOD)

Examined the relationship among four measures of third- grade children's social competence (behavioral, sociometric, teacher completed, and child self-report) and their relationship to Metropolitan Achievement Test grade- equivalent scores. Among the results it was found that children with high academic achievement scores were liked by and…

Examined changes in low-accepted children's behavior and peer acceptance resulting from a social learning approach to social skill training. Three social skills were taught: asking questions, leading, and offering peer support. Trained children performed significantly better at follow-up than did control children. Results generalized to classroom…

Examined cross-race acceptance on a rating-scale measure which assessed how much children liked to play and work with each of their classmates. A total of 38 Black and 116 White children were tested in the third grade in 1973 and again in the sixth grade in 1976. (JMB)

Evaluated contributions of mothers' social coaching and responsive style to preschoolers' interpersonal competence with peers. Found that coaching and style were largely independent and were correlated with social competence; both predicted teacher ratings, and style predicted peer acceptance. Found no evidence for mediation effect of coaching,…