Examined friendship formation as developing a common understanding of social reality. Individuals engaged in weekly discussions completed repertory grids and attraction ratings after the 4th and 18th weeks of acquaintance. Deteriorating partnerships were significantly less similar in their assessment of other group members than were developing…

A peer-initiation training procedure was implemented across multiple peer trainers to investigate social interactions between two severely withdrawn autistic children (8 and 10-years-old) and their nonhandicapped peers. Spontaneous interactions increased substantially for one subject and slightly for the other. (Author/DB)

Examines how any utterance or activity can be opposed in order to better understand the origins of children's disputes. Shows that children analyze others' moves not only verbally but nonverbally as well. Thus, bodily action and presupposition are necessary components in the analysis of how arguments are started. (SED)

Comparison of maternal responsiveness and maternal directiveness in mothers of preschool-aged children (11 with and 11 without down's syndrome) found both groups of mothers used a high frequency of controls. Mothers of down's syndrome children exerted greater control in most aspects of directiveness. (Author/DB)

Analysis of videotapes of over 100 tutorial sessions of remedial language training with learning-disabled adolescents resulted in identifying common factors which significantly affected student learning: the structure of the setting, the use of routinized procedures, and manner/approach of tutors. Patterns of student behavior were also identified.…

Compares the compliance-gaining interactions of selected marital types determined by the Relational Dimensions Instrument. Concludes that the various marital types used are associated with different compliance-gaining communication patterns. (MS)

In an attempt to better understand the quality of interprofessional relationships, research used a confirmation/disconfirmation framework to analyze communication in nurse-physician dyads. Results indicated that nurses and physicians were primarily confirming in their interaction. (SRT)

Examined the effectiveness of behavioral marital therapy in improving communication and problem solving skills in 29 couples. Couples' problem discussions were videotaped and rated. Results showed that BMT was effective. The interaction patterns of the treated couples resembled patterns exhibited by nondistressed controls. (JAC)

This article examines major trends in research on the teaching process, emphasizing two models for studying classroom interactions--process-product and descriptive. Also discussed is interpersonal interaction as it is studied in social psychology. (CB)

An interactional analysis of reading activities of 48 third grade Chicano students with limited English proficiency showed that Ss, on the whole, used language effectively to obtain responses in their reading groups, their requests were directly and clearly stated, interpreted sincerely, and concerned the teaching and learning task. (CL)

Compares the interactions of 20 firstborn and 17 lastborn children with their parents and siblings. Children were observed at home for five 45-minute sessions. Oldest children differed from youngest children in emitting more behaviors to parents than to siblings and in receiving more negative responses from parents and siblings. (Author/CB)

Examines procedural messages and group work habits of 20 three-person groups, 10 who preferred a tightly structured work cliamte and 10 who preferred a free-associative work routine. Results revealed that structured groups used abstract headings that organized group talk, while free-associative groups used specific details on a content-related…

Two experiments are reported: one in which presentation of external information about a stranger evoked significantly higher attraction ratings than available psychological information; and a second where similarity of Subject and Other on external characteristics had greater effects upon attraction scores than did similarity of psychological…

A statewide sample of 234 individuals, 70 years of age or older, was employed to assess the nature and prominence of intimate friendships in the social world of aged men and women. There was little sexual differentiation in the characteristics of intimate friendships in late life. (Author)