| Abstract: | Fifth-grade children completed a positive- and negative-peer nomination technique during the last week of school and were subsequently assigned to peer status groups of Average, Controversial, Neglected, Popular, Rejected, and Other. Following summer vacation and return to school, 45 of the subjects (now sixth graders) were individually interviewed to assess their reactions to the sociometric procedures. As many as one third of the subjects indicated that they had discussed the measures with their peers, in spite of directions not to do so. Subjects liked participating in the sociometric procedures, although they liked the negative nomination technique significantly less than any of the other measures. Comments about the nomination techniques were analyzed by peer status group; no evidence of reactions indicative of harm was revealed. Directions for future research are discussed. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |
