This research highlights the critical role of gender in the context of problem talk and social support in adolescents' friendships. Early- and middle-adolescents' (N = 314 friend dyads; Ms = 13.01 and 16.03 years) conversations about problems were studied using observation and a short-term longitudinal design. Mean-level gender differences emerged…

In the context of texts that depicted either a minimally confrontational conversation (study 1) or a more confrontational argument (study 2) with a close friend, the use of ironic criticism was rated as being more humorous, polite, and positive, yet also as more sarcastic and mocking than direct criticism. Although our results were consistent with…

In order to extend previous early years humor research into early adolescence, the authors adapted an innovative ecological research method such that at-risk adolescents could be filmed during an entire waking day in their life. Community youth advocates nominated one 15-year-old female and one 14-year-old male as doing well despite adverse…

Discusses the role of humor in children's social development in the following areas: (1) social interaction; (2) friendship development and popularity; (3) hostility expression; and (4) interpersonal relationships. Argues that early humor development helps to optimize social development. (FMW)

A linguistic "false friend" is a word which is spelled or pronounced the same way in two or more languages or dialects of a single language, yet which has a unique meaning in each different language. Similarly, cultural "false friends" occur when people from different cultures think they have concepts and mores in common, yet…

This research examined the effects of three factors (friendship, gender, and topic of teasing) on adolescents' predicted emotional reactions to hypothetical teasing episodes regarding appearance and academic competence. The 8th graders (n = 131) in Study 1 made predictions regarding the negative emotions and humor experienced when teasing occurred…