An expectancy of criticism scale was devised in order to measure children's expectations of giving criticism to and receiving criticism from different agents for public achievement efforts in class. Scores on the Children's Social Desirability Scale (CSD) and teacher ratings of amount of criticism the children received and of their participation in achievement activities were obtained. Children both gave more criticism to and expected more criticism from opposite sex peers, and also overestimated amounts of criticism they would receive from peers. Expectancy of criticism was not correlated with scores on the CSD, but was correlated with higher ratings of criticism received and lower ratings of participation in achievement activities. (Author)