The Development of Children's Friendships

When this book was first published in 1978, it was only recently that researchers had begun to focus on children's peer relationships and the impact of these relationships on their development. The contributors to this volume view friendship as an important context for the study of a variety of cognitive and affective processes - from the perspectives of a wide range of disciplines. The volume poses an array of fascinating theoretical questions, and offers varied methodological tools for answering them. Some contributors present and review applied research addressed to conceptualizing and ameliorating peer relationship problems, whilst others reflect applied or policy-orientated concerns in chapters on racial integration and the integration of mentally retarded children into regular classrooms. A chapter on the scientific, political and social history of the interest in children's friendships and two summary chapters add to the usefulness of the book for students.

Editorial preface; 1. The roots of current peer interaction research: a historical analysis of the 1930s Peter D. Renshaw; Part I. Group Processes: 2. Friends, impression management and preadolescent behavior Gary Alan Fine; 3. Complementary and conflicting identities: images and interaction in an interracial school Janet Ward Schofield; 4. Recent advances in sociometry Maureen T. Hallinan; 5. Social skills and group acceptance Martha Putallaz and John M. Gottman; 6. Friendship between mentally retarded and nonretarded children Jay Gottlieb and Yona Leyser; 7. Self, social group, and social structure: surmises about the study of children's friendships Vernon L. Allen; Part II. Social-cognitive Processes: 8. Friendship in the nursery school: social organization in a peer environment William A. Corsaro; 9. The child as a friendship philosopher Robert L. Selman; 10. Children without friends: social knowledge and social skill training Stephen R. Asher and Peter D. Renshaw; 11. Children's knowledge about social situations: from causes to consequences Nancy L. Stein and Susan R. Goldman; 12. Social-cognitive processes in children's friendships Carol S. Dweck; Indices.

When this book was first published in 1978, researchers had only recently begun to focus on children's peer relationships and their impact on child development. The contributors to this student-orientated volume view friendship as an important context for the study of a variety of cognitive and affective processes - from the perspectives of a wide range of disciplines.