High school teachers were separated into groups of four to complete educationally related or noneducationally related ranking tasks. While no significant differences were found between the number of initial suggestions which the group accepted, males made significantly more accepted final arguments for items on the ranking tasks. (Author)

Examines possible intended and unintended effects on adolescents of two dominant socialization strategies for preventing premarital pregnancy: (1) the moral absolutes strategy, represented by perceived sexual permissiveness of parents/friends, religiosity, and sex-guilt; and (2) the relative consequences strategy which emphasizes pregnancy…

The effect of free- versus no-talk conditions between target and peer subjects under vicarious reward conditions was examined. Data collected from fourth graders on an alphabet reproduction task showed that vicarious reinforcement effects occurred when verbal communication of reward enjoyment to nonreward subjects was possible. (Author/BW)

Examines the relationship between self-evaluation and social comparison in adolescent males during their last two years of high school. The question is empirically examined in two realms that capture primary features of the adolescent transition: physical transformation and social role reorganization. (Author/RH)

Examines peer influences on the sex-role development of preschoolers. The occurrence of sex-stereotyped activities and peer responses to them were observed in a naturalistic setting. (CM)

The quality of play that 26 toddlers engaged in was examined in four successive social settings: (1) mother-child; (2) child alone; (3) mother, child, peer; (4) child-peer. Results are discussed in terms of how the social setting and the sex of the child influence play behavior. (Author/DB)

The investigation systematically assessed whether four autistic children (5 to 7 years old) would improve their learning of discrimination tasks if they observed normal children perform the task correctly. In each case, the peer modeling procedure produced rapid achievement of the acquisition criterion which was maintained after the peer models…

In a treatment facility positive peer culture was operationalized after the completion of a level system. Comparing the programs, positive peer culture had fewer runaways, and less physical aggression, drug abuse, property destruction and suicidal behavior, while having more break-ins on campus and improper affection displays. (Author)

Discusses how a student's participation in a group can influence his or her behavior and how teachers can anticipate conflict situations and manage them. (IRT)

Longitudinal investigation into teenagers' reference groups revealed a consistency as to which kind of issue prompts peer orientation and which question results in parent consultation. The most important finding indicates a shift from parent to peer orientation over the past 16 years. (Author/DB)

Both interventions produced dramatic and comparable increases in positive social behavior in training sessions; however, post-treatment responding was not observed for either intervention during generalization assessment. (Author/DLS)

Investigates the effect of cooperative learning environments on conformity among 190 boys in the third and fourth grades. Findings support the view that qualitative asspects of the experience children have with peers influences children's likelihood of conforming. The more positive the experience, the more likely children are to conform. (RH)

Econometric estimations using Bradford Youth Cohort data investigated influences on intention to continue education after age 16. Fixed effects nominal logit regression analyses identified significant effects of school quality, teachers' advice, work experience, neighborhood income, and ability. (Contains 37 references.) (SK)

Assesses the relative effects of parents and peers on adolescent alcohol use via mechanisms of attachment and opportunity. Results indicated that peers are more influential than parents in shaping adolescents' patterns of alcohol consumption and that unstructured peer interaction is an especially powerful predictor of adolescent alcohol use and…