This study evaluated the relations of peer status, self-perceptions, and other-perceptions of social competence among 9- and 11-year-old children. Self-esteem, self-perception in different domains, and teachers' assessments were examined along with peer status. (PCB)

The influence of social and cognitive developmental processes on the construction of social reputation was assessed by having first-, third-, and fifth-grade boys and girls provide free descriptions of their classmates. (PCB)

Two studies examined the effect of school entrance age on the social acceptance and self-perceptions of kindergarten and first-grade children. Teachers' ratings and peer nominations described initial social problems in youngest children, which were overcome by first grade. Found no differences in self-reported school adjustment, loneliness,…

Examined effects of children's social skills and maternal communication on children's peer acceptance. Results from 44 elementary school children and their mothers indicated that maternal communication and children's skills were associated with distinct aspects of peer acceptance. Effects of maternal communication were not mediated by children's…

The present study compares the results of three two-dimensional procedures for sociometric status determination: the Asher and Dodge (1986) system, the rating scale method SSrat of Maassen, Akkermans, and Van der Linden (1996), and the nomination procedure of Coie and Dodge (1983). The study followed 170 children from third grade through sixth…

In sociometric research tradition, popularity is defined as the degree to which children are liked or accepted by their peers. However, research indicates that two definitions of popular students should be distinguished: (1) popular students as those students who are well liked by many and disliked by few peers, and (2) popular students as those…

This article provides a conceptual account and empirical analyses of the development of "boundary-crossing competence"--the ability to function competently in multiple contexts--using representative cases from two after-school programs with immigrant and low-socioeconomic status students. Our findings suggest that organizational designs…

This study concerns the use of the Friendship Rating Scale, a noncompetitive instrument in which the raters establish hierarchical preferences but without forcing subjects into subordinate positions following higher rating. The FRS is an assessment device for determining the correlation between peer status and academic achievement. (Author/HMV)

The hypothesis was tested that humor facilitates social attraction. Students in three fourth-grade classrooms responded to two different peer rating surveys, one measuring interpersonal perceptions of humorousness and the other measuring classroom social distance. Differences between same- and cross-gender ratings were examined. Statistical…

Classroom and playground behaviors of 95 integrated mildly intellectually handicapped and mildly disabled students were compared with those of 95 nonhandicapped, age- and sex-matched regular class students. All subjects attended state government primary schools and were between 8 and 13 years of age. Subjects' behavior was observed in the…

Examined dimensions of social competence by several measures of adaptive behavior, social skills, and peer acceptance among 452 elementary school students. Found method of measurement to be most important factor in assessment of social competence. Considers interacting influences of method, setting, and content on assessment of social competence.…

Examined the performance of 30 learning disabled and 30 nondisabled children in grades one through seven on the Test of Social Inference (TSI). Results indicated that disabled students obtained lower TSI total scores than did nondisabled students; they also performed relatively lower on TSI items requiring more verbal expression. (NRB)

Although foremost among the benefits of cooperative learning is improvement of student academic achievement, additional affective benefits may further convince teachers that the value added by cooperative learning is worth the effort. This study examined the effect of an 8-month cooperative learning intervention on children's friendship choices in…

Reviews several studies on the relationships and interaction among elementary and secondary school students in which personality characteristics and peer group evaluation are important factors. (SF)