Predicting boys' social acceptance and aggression: The role of mother–child interactions and boys' beliefs about peers.

Seven- to 9-year-old boys (N?=?177) and their mothers participated in this study in which the associations between boys' experiences with their mothers, their beliefs about familiar and unfamiliar peers, and their peer adjustment were examined across a 2-year period. Boys' negative behavior with mothers was associated with their having more negative beliefs about familiar and unfamiliar peers and with their being more aggressive and less well-liked. Beliefs about familiar peers predicted changes in boys' social acceptance, whereas negative beliefs about unfamiliar peers predicted changes in aggression. In addition, boys' beliefs about peers changed in response to their social experience. The implications of these findings for children's social development are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of expectancy inductions on rejected children's acceptance by unfamiliar peers.

Examined the role of interpersonal expectations in rejected children's social difficulties by inducing a positive expectancy prior to their joining unfamiliar peers and assessing whether this influenced their group entry behavior and the opinions that new peers formed of them. Rejected boys receiving the expectancy induction were preferred by new peers over control, rejected boys, but no behavioral effects were found. Rejected girls who received the induction were again better liked than controls and behaved more competently. These results indicate that rejected children can make better impressions on peers when they expect interpersonal success and suggest that rejected children's interpersonal expectations should be considered in interventions designed to improve their peer relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)