Argues that any comprehensive theory of peer socialization requires attention to these five constraints: (1) characteristics of the influence source; (2) characteristics of the children being socialized; (3) age constraints on peer influences; (4) paradigm considerations; and (5) domain relevance. (SD)

Children's restrictive disclosure to friends, which is a facet of intimate friendship, was investigated. It was found that children in kindergarten, second, and fourth grade showed restrictive disclosure to friends, and that greater disclosure of positive personal information to friends than to nonfriends was exhibited with age. (PCB)

Examined the relationship between three behaviors (physical aggression, relational aggression, and prosocial behaviors) and three social outcomes (peer rejection, acceptance, and reciprocal friendships) in 131 third-graders and 135 sixth-graders. Found that among girls, but not boys, relational aggression explained variance in rejection beyond…

Examined gender, friendship, and contrast in choices for potential social partners among 122 children, ages 4 to 8 years. Found that gender and friendship are equal factors for the younger participants, and that friendship status moderates the influence of gender on social reasoning as children age. (LBT)

Studied intimacy in best friendships of 217 children of 8-14 years. Results showed that: (1) intimacy between best friends was relatively low at age 8, but increased in late childhood; (2) some components of intimacy developed before others; and (3) females and androgynous males formed a homogeneous high intimacy group. (RJC)

Seventy kindergartners and 26 of their older siblings between ages 6 and 12 participated in this study of kindergartner's relationships with siblings, peers, and friends. Popular kindergartners tended to have positive feelings about and identify with a sibling, whereas kindergartners who highly rated a same-sex friendship tended not to have…

Compared conversational styles mothers used with preadolescent and middle adolescent daughters with styles used with friends. Found that with friends, mothers used a high involvement style with high rates of overlaps and simultaneous speech, whereas with daughters, they used a high considerateness style with low rates of overlaps and simultaneous…

Assessed continuity and change at multiple levels of adolescent friendship networks over the school year. Continuity and change were characterized for individuals' friendships, friendship groups, network type, and the school network as a whole, covering both subjective and consensus-based networks. Found moderate stability and continuity at all…

Explored the role of relationship orientations, gender-related characteristics, and perceptions of friendship quality during preadolescence and adolescence. Results indicated that grade and sex differences are evident in the early adolescent years and are linked to perceptions of friendship quality. Preliminary evidence showed that relationship…

Investigates second, fourth, and sixth graders' reasoning about interrelationships between parental authority, friendship, and sibling relations. Children's conceptions regarding legitimacy of and obedience to parental rules prohibiting friendship vary as a function of reasons given for rules. (Author/BB)

Investigates whether children with poor peer relations display developmental lag in their conceptions of friendship. Compares social-cognitive level of understanding, using the Selman theory of interpersonal understanding, in sample of grade 2 versus grade 7 students identified as socially accepted, rejected, or neglected. The latter did not show…