title: Implicit Theories of Peer Relationships.
abstract: This research investigated the role of children's implicit theories of peer relationships in their psychological, emotional, and behavioral adjustment. Participants included 206 children (110 girls; 96 boys; M age = 10.13 years, SD = 1.16) who reported on their implicit theories of peer relationships, social goal orientation, need for approval, depressive and aggressive symptoms, and exposure to peer victimization. Parents also provided reports on aggressive symptoms. Results confirmed that holding an entity theory of peer relationships was associated with a greater tendency to endorse performance-oriented social goals and to evaluate oneself negatively in the face of peer disapproval. Moreover, entity theorists were more likely than incremental theorists to demonstrate depressive and aggressive symptoms when victimized. These findings contribute to social-cognitive theories of motivation and personality, and have practical implications for children exposed to peer victimization and associated difficulties.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
authors.forename: Karen D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Rudolph
references.citation: Dev Psychopathol. 1997 Winter;9(1):59-73
references.pmid: 9089124
references.citation: J Abnorm Child Psychol. 1986 Mar;14(1):25-39
references.pmid: 3950219
references.citation: Dev Psychol. 2005 May;41(3):479-90
references.pmid: 15910156
references.citation: Am Psychol. 2006 Apr;61(3):192-203
references.pmid: 16594836
references.citation: Dev Psychol. 1997 Mar;33(2):263-72
references.pmid: 9147835
references.citation: Child Dev. 1993 Jun;64(3):863-78
references.pmid: 8339700
references.citation: Child Dev. 2007 Jan-Feb;78(1):246-63
references.pmid: 17328703
references.citation: Child Dev. 2005 Sep-Oct;76(5):1072-91
references.pmid: 16150003
references.citation: Psychol Assess. 2002 Mar;14(1):74-96
references.pmid: 11911051
references.citation: Psychol Bull. 2006 Jan;132(1):98-131
references.pmid: 16435959
references.citation: Nebr Symp Motiv. 1990;38:199-235
references.pmid: 2130257
references.citation: Pers Soc Psychol Rev. 2003;7(1):41-55
references.pmid: 12584056
references.citation: Acta Paedopsychiatr. 1981 Feb;46(5-6):305-15
references.pmid: 7025571
references.citation: Child Dev. 2005 Mar-Apr;76(2):309-23
references.pmid: 15784084
references.citation: Dev Psychol. 1998 May;34(3):587-99
references.pmid: 9597367