Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

1161

Date

2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Psychology

Concentration

General Psychology

Committee Chair

Robert Cohen

Committee Member

Frank Andrasik

Committee Member

Roger Kreuz

Abstract

Third- through fifth- grade students completed measures to assess loneliness, peer optimism, social preference (liking minus disliking from peers), number of mutual friends, and number of non-reciprocated friends. It is well documented that number of mutual friends is related to positive social outcome. Of interest for the present research was whether the extent of unreciprocated friendship nominations related to other indices of peer social competence (loneliness, peer optimism, and social preference). Consistent with previous research, number of mutual friends related to peer outcomes. Both loneliness and peer optimism were related to sex of the child but were not related to number of non-reciprocated friendships. Peer social preference, a measure of group acceptance by peers was significantly, and inversely, related to number of non-reciprocated friendships, for females only. These findings add to the literature by emphasizing the importance of friendships for social competence, by identifying the association of non-mutual friendships.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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