Examined the experience of collaboration from sixth graders' perspective as a function of dyad gender and degree of friendship. Found that enjoyment expectations and affiliation perceptions were greater in dyads with greater degrees of friendship and in same-gender dyads compared with mixed-gender dyads. More positive expectation and greater…

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…

Examined natural behavior contingencies as mechanisms by which peers influence children's school motivation. Found that the more students were motivated, the more likely they were to receive approval from peer-group members following active, on-task behaviors. The less students were motivated, the more they received disapproval from nonmembers…

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…