Previous research has offered mixed evidence on whether obligation in relationships benefits or harms individuals and their relationships. Given that few studies are prospective and consider multiple close relationships, we used 18-year longitudinal data to model whether obligation is associated with differences in relational and individual…

The predictive relations between social capital depth (high-quality relationships across contexts) and breadth (friendship network extensivity) and early-adult life adjustment outcomes were examined using data from a prospective longitudinal study. Interviews at age 22 yielded (a) psychometrically sound indexes of relationship quality with…

Children (N=408) from three experimental infant schools in Israel were observed during their free play for three consecutive weeks, using observational categories based on Parten's (1932) work. Findings based on 2,157 observations provide norms of social behavior and organization for ages five to seven, an age group which was not studied…

This study investigated the interactive effects of friend deviance and reward dominance on the development of externalizing behavior of adolescents in the Child Development Project. Reward dominance was assessed at age 16 by performance on a computer-presented card-playing game in which participants had the choice of either continuing or…

The theoretical perspective of Sullivan proposes that during preadolescence, a "chum" relationship increases a child's sense of self-worth. Subjects were 60 male sixth graders, with an equal number in the chumship and non-chumship groups. Self-concept was measured with the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale. The results show that…

Study of same-sex play networks found that between ages four and six, the size of girls' play networks decreases along with the number of girls excluded. Although results did not confirm the hypothesis that the size of boys' play networks increases, there was a trend for boys in the older classes to exclude fewer playmates from their networks. (AA)

It was hypothesized that children in age-heterogeneous kindergartens would be more prone to behave altruistically than would children in age-homogeneous kindergartens. It was found that children who were studying in heterogeneous classes were more altruistic than were children from homogeneous classes. (Author)

Concerning the role of parental smoking on development of adolescent smoking, most studies have exclusively focused on the direct effects of parents' smoking on youths' smoking. However, parental smoking may also play an indirect role by affecting youths' susceptibility to peer influences and by affecting friendship selection. Data were from a…

Examines the growth of understanding of citizenship in young children, particularly children's grasp of rules of school life. Explores development of citizenship by studying children's representations of school life and adult-child relationships in pretend play. Touches upon Dewey's, Piaget's, and Vygotsky's theories of child development. (BGC)

This book surveys new developments in research on family-peer relations and discusses the impact of these developments on current knowledge and future research. The book's 14 chapters are: (1) "Themes and Theories: Perspectives on Processes in Family-Peer Relationships" (G. Ladd); (2) "Family and Peer Relationships in Historical Perspective" (P.…

Intended for use by teachers on the junior high and high school levels, this curriculum guide, which is one in a series of guides for consumer and homemaking education in Kentucky, outlines four courses in the area of personal and family development. The seventh grade level unit discusses the influence of health habits on personal appearance and…

Research problems and issues concerning socialization are identified in an effort to aid member agencies of the Interagency Panel on Early Childhood Research and Development in establishing priorities in research. Discussed in Part I are: (1) the development of intergroup and intragroup attitudes and behaviors--stages in their development; the…