Perceptions of children and teachers were examined to address concerns regarding children's welfare following sociometric testing. Third-graders (N = 91) were interviewed; teachers also reported on each child's responses to the testing. Results indicate that children were not hurt or upset by the testing, most enjoyed the procedures, did not feel…

Basic research can inform social policy in a number of ways. First, it can draw the attention of policy makers to problems. Second, it can deflect policy makers away from focusing on issues that are not really problems. Third, it can help policy makers understand whether or not factors are causally related to problems and the processes underlying…

The study of children?s peer relationships has been well represented within the pages of Merrill-Palmer Quarterly. Particularly over the last decade, the pace of publishing studies on peer relationships has increased. Despite this upswing in interest in peer relationships, significant gaps remain. In this article, we focus on a particularly…

Increasingly, practitioners and policy makers are demanding research evidence as a basis for funding programs and policies. The application of research to society has undergone several transitions, from a scholarly emphasis on the experimental method to an attempt to disseminate research and contribute to social policy. Policy makers have…