Peer Interactions and Friendships in an Ethnically Diverse School Setting

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.1990.tb02798.x
• Publication Date: 2006-07-03T20:19:19Z
• Authors: Carollee Howes; Fang Wu
• Keywords: Male; 4. Education; 05 social sciences; Social Environment; Peer Group; Play and Playthings; Social Desirability; Social Perception; Child, Preschool; Humans; Female; Interpersonal Relations; 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences; Child; 10. No inequality; Minority Groups

Peer interaction, social status, and reciprocated friendships were examined in 2 ethnically diverse groups of children: 104 kindergartners and 106 third graders. There was no correlation between social status and ethnicity. Third-grade children formed more cross-ethnic friendships and engaged in more cross-ethnic positive peer interaction than kindergartners. Children with more cross-ethnic friendships and more cross-ethnic peer interaction were no different in social status than children with fewer cross-ethnic experiences.