Two studies examining four and five year olds' preferences for dyadic and group interaction found that females enjoyed dyadic interaction more than did males and that males enjoyed group interaction more than did females. (MDM)

In a second follow-up study of sibling interaction, 24 pairs of same-sex siblings and 24 pairs of mixed-sex siblings were observed in their homes 18 months after the first follow-up and 3 years after the initial observations. The patterning of interaction was similar to that observed earlier. (Author/DR)

Evaluated the importance of social comparison processes in sibling and peer interaction. Experiment I assessed the influence of social comparison on male children during mother-sibling interaction and subsequent peer interaction. Experiment II assessed the influence of social comparison during peer interaction on female children's subsequent…

This study examined the response of intermediate-grade boys (N=18) and girls (N=20) with (N=20) or without (N=18) learning disabilities (LD) to experimental dyadic interactions, either friendly or unfriendly. Children with LD were hypersensitive to both situations and girls with LD appeared most negatively affected by the unfriendly interaction.…

Episodes of children's crying and children's and teachers' responses to crying were observed in natural preschool settings using an event-sampling technique. Narrative descriptions of the episodes were coded as to cause of crying, teacher response, peer response, and context. (Author/NH)

This study investigated the relationship between children's response to the colors black and white and their interracial behavior. Subjects were 20 black and white male and female preschoolers. The children were observed in a free play situation on a playground. Color preference and attitudes were measured in three different ways. (MS)

This study sought to describe the norms of reciprocity in social interaction from the viewpoint of immediate behavioral exchanges by examining the social interaction of preschool peers in a free-play situation. Seventeen 4-year-old children, eight girls and nine boys, were observed during free play activity periods after a picture sociometric test…

This paper briefly reviews studies of infant-peer and infant-mother interaction, and describes a study which compares the effects of mothers and peers on toddler play. Twenty-six toddlers (13 males and 13 females) aged 21 to 24 months were observed in two social situations each: playing with his/her mother, and playing with a familiar peer (after…

This study was designed to identify aggressive actions in 12-, 18-, and 24-month-old infants and to investigate what type of responses these actions elicit in peers. Nine infants were observed and videotaped in interaction with each other and with toys. The focus was on four 18-month-olds observed in two sessions, one with an older child, the…

An investigation of peer relationships through longitudinal and cross-sectional studies of 62 children at age 2 1/2 and again at age 7 1/2. These studies specifically examined the differentiation and location of correlates of intensive and extensive peer relationships, sex differences in peer behavior, and the nature of peer-oriented behavior for…

Reports a study of kindergarten children's strategies for acquiring and protecting status in interactions with peers. Focusing on children's negotiations of relative social standing in face-to-face interactions, discusses strategies children used to improve and defend their relative positions in the social structure of their peer group. (NH)