Bringing together leading researchers, this is the first volume to comprehensively examine popularity among children and adolescents: what it is, how it is attained, and its impact on peer interaction and individual development. The book clarifies how popularity is distinct from being socially accepted or well liked and how it is different for girls and boys. Behaviors that characterize popular peers are explored, as are the developmental benefits and risks of popularity and its connections to peer influence processes. Innovative measurement approaches and research designs are clearly described.

Starting with Napster and Gnutella, peer-to-peer systems became an integrated part of the Internet fabric attracting millions of users. This book provides an introduction to the field. It draws together prerequisites from various fields, presents techniques and methodologies, and gives an overview on the applications of the peer-to-peer paradigm.

This multidisciplinary handbook, edited by the premier scholars in the field, reflects the empirical work and growth in the field of adolescent psychology.

What determines the focus of a researcher's interest, the sources of inspiration for a study, or the variables scrutinized? If we were to examine the antecedents of these decisions, they would surely emerge as accidents of circumstance--the personal experiences of the researcher, the inspiration of early mentors, the influence of contemporary colleagues--all tempered by the intellectual currents that nurture the researcher's hypotheses. Among the accidents that mold the careers of researchers is geographic location. The culture in which a research program emerges helps determine both its very subject and its method. The primary purpose of this book is to assist those interested in the scientific study of children's social competence in transcending the boundaries imposed both by geography and by selective exposure to the highly diverse schools of thought that have led to interest in this field. Most of these ideas were presented and exchanged at an Advanced Study Institute entitled "Social Competence in Developmental Perspective" held in Savoie, France, in July 1988. This Institute was attended by scholars from France, England, Northern Ireland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Canada, the United States and Brazil. Those who participated will recognize that the metamorphosis from lecture to chapter has necessitated many changes. In order to accommodate the reader who may be unfamiliar with the field, more attention has been paid here to identifying the theoretical contexts of the research described.

This comprehensive, authoritative handbook covers the breadth of theories, methods, and empirically based findings on the ways in which children and adolescents contribute to one another's development. Leading researchers review what is known about the dynamics of peer interactions and relationships from infancy through adolescence. Topics include methods of assessing friendship and peer networks; early romantic relationships; individual differences and contextual factors in children's social and emotional competencies and behaviors; group dynamics; and the impact of peer relations on achievement, social adaptation, and mental health. Salient issues in intervention and prevention are also addressed.

Children's peer culture, as it is nourished in those spaces where grownups cannot penetrate, stands between individual children and the larger adult society. As such, it is a mediator and shaper, influencing the way children collectively interpret their surroundings and deal with the common problems they face.

This is a must-have volume for all teens who want to demystify what popularity really is. “A reader-friendly guide to breaking down the components of popularity and likability and helping readers achieve their goals…. Concise, accessible chapters unpack the phenomenon of popularity and offer exercises and worksheets that lead readers to a greater understanding of their values... Helpful advice and insightful prompts shape a path to self-improvement.”"--Kirkus Reviews This book is NOT about knocking down those who are popular, or an attempt to convince teens that popularity is a bad thing. In fact, research points to the exact opposite: likeability is important!. It is not elusive or granted only to a select few. Anyone can become their own kind of popular with a little bit of insight and a whole lot of reflection. The goal: encourage and promote self-awareness and help readers develop their own individual recipe for the right kind of popular. In four sections, with lively chapters and insightful activities, teens will explore popularity, likeability, status, power, self-esteem, relationships, influencers, and much more. The expert authors reach readers with a voice that rings true, by using science and stories to explain concepts, and connecting teens to real world examples and even celebrities.