The current study was designed to examine characteristics associated with interaction in group versus dyads in middle childhood. Two classes of children in grades one through five participated in the study. Children were identified by their peers as participating in groups or dyads. Teachers then rated the characteristics of these children. Analyses of children interacting in groups versus dyads showed that both boys and girls in groups were perceived to be more competitive, to value their friends more, to receive more attention from peers and to be more emotionally expressive than children interacting in dyads. It was also found that boys in both groups and dyads were perceived to lack more self-control and to be more active and loud than girls. The measures of self-confidence, lack of self-control, emotional difficulties, activity level, and thoughtfulness did not differ for children who interacted in groups versus dyads. Findings are discussed in terms of the functions of group versus dyadic interaction.

The current study was designed to examine sex differences in the importance of peer relations. Interviews were conducted with 85 elementary school children from grades one, four, and six. As documented in earlier studies, boys and girls showed a clear preference for same-age, same-sex peers. There were no sex differences in children's desire to marry or how often they thought about marriage. Sex differences were found in how much children desired to play with the popular girl and boy in their class. Females desired to play with the popular girl significantly more than with the popular boy in grade one. Males desired to play with the popular boy more than the popular girl in grades one and six. Finally, females did not differ in number of girls versus boys with whom they played in their favorite activities at any grade level. In contrast, in both grades four and six, males named significantly more boys than girls in their favorite activities. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of same-sex peer relationships for males and females.

Thesis (M.A.). / Written for the Dept. of Integrated Studies in Education. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2008/07/24). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 1978. / Title from title page screen, viewed Jan. 12, 2005. Dissertation Committee: Jack Hobbs (chair), John Marlow, Dorothy Lee, Julie Gowen. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-82) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 186-207). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there were sex-related differences in students' attitudes toward computers at the Grade 4 level. A questionnaire was constructed, consisting of twenty-five multiple choice items, two subjective items and eight background items. The multiple choice items were grouped into six reporting categories: (1) Interest in and Enjoyment in Using Computers, (2) Anxiety and Confidence About Computer Use, (3) Perceived Usefulness of Computers, (4) Perceived Sex Roles in Attitudes Toward Computers, (5) Relationship Between Mathematics and Computers, and (6) Attitudes Toward Mathematics. The questionnaire was administered to a sample of 290 students. The sample consisted of 143 girls and 147 boys. The data were analysed to determine any sex differences in responses to each of the items in each of the reporting categories. Attitudes toward individual items and reporting categories were defined to be positive if 50% or more of the students/girls/boys responded to the item/category in a manner established by the author as positive. To identify significantly different responses, median polish was used on the item-by-gender tables. Results of the median polish revealed items that had been reacted to, by all students, in a more strongly positive or negative manner in comparison to the other items within the category. In addition, sex differences in responses to each of the items and the reporting categories were indicated and any patterns related to either items or gender were revealed. In addition to the analysis of individual items and reporting categories, results from the 25 items for girls were compared based on whether or not their mothers use computers and also for all students based on whether or not they had computers at home. The results of the questionnaire indicate that there were no sex differences in responses to five of the six reporting categories. Girls and boys at this age would seem to have comparable positive attitudes toward computers with regard to "Interest in and Enjoyment in Using Computers", "Anxiety and Confidence About Computer Use", "Perceived Usefulness of Computers" and "Relationship Between Mathematics and Computers", and "Attitudes Toward Mathematics". There were significant sex-related differences in one category, "Perceived Sex Roles in Attiudes Toward Computers". It was found that while both girls and boys have a positive attitude in this category, 22% more girls than boys displayed this positive attitude. However, in view of the difficulty of interpreting these results, one cannot provide a strong argument for concluding that one gender has a stronger positive (less sexist) attitude than the other. Girls and boys at this age feel it is just as important for either sex to use and learn about computers. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

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