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This study was designed to begin establishing the ecological validity of laboratory research indicating that nonretarded children's responses toward mentally retarded peers are positively affected by the retarded peers' competence in different areas. Groups of 3 children (1 retarded and 2 nonretarded fourth through sixth-graders) played a bean bag toss game in which the retarded child was either the best or an average player. Then children selected one of their two partners as a partner for a subsequent game and indicated their attitudes toward each peer and their attribution for each peer's performance. Retarded children who were the best players were selected as partners significantly more often than retarded children who were average players. Nonretarded children's attitudes toward retarded peers, however, were the same regardless of the retarded peers' performance. A relationship was also found between children's attributions of retarded peers' success to ability and their selection of the same peers as partners.

The ability of prosocial behavior attributes to ameliorate the negative attitudes often brought about by negative personal characteristics associated with mild and moderate mental retardation was assessed. Subjects (191 nonretarded fourth through sixth-grade boys and girls) viewed a videotape of either a nonretarded, mildly retarded, or moderately retarded target child who was reading. They then were read a story depicting the target as either socially competent, withdrawn, or aggressive. On three measures, children in general responded favorably toward retarded target children who were socially competent, neutrally to withdrawn targets and negatively to aggressive targets. They were most positive to the nonretarded, socially competent targets and most negative to the nonretarded, aggressive targets, however. Prosocial behavior attributes had a positive effect on children's attitudes and behavioral intentions toward retarded targets. Implications for future research, social skills training, and mainstreaming were discussed.

Effects of the labels "mentally retarded" and "retard" on fifth- and sixth-grade children's attitudes toward peers were studied. Results indicated that children's attitudes (feelings and behavioral intentions) were more positive toward the target child labeled "mentally retarded" than labeled "retard." The data also showed that children's reactions to the two labels were, in part, a function of the physical appearance and academic competence of the peer being rated. Children had the most negative attitudes toward a child labeled "retard" who appeared to be "normal." In contrast, children reacted favorably to the target child labeled "mentally retarded," even when he or she was academically incompetent. Finally, boys were more negative than were girls toward the target child, especially when the child was labeled "retard." Implications for the movement to abandon the use of labels were discussed.

How children's attitudes toward mentally retarded and nonretarded peers were affected by information highlighting the similarities and differences of those peers was assessed. Eighty fourth- through sixth-grade children viewed either a nonretarded, mildly retarded, or moderately retarded target child in two videotape vignettes. The first showed a target who was reading; the second, a target discussing interests. Children's attitudes and perceived similarity to the target were assessed. Results showed that children judged nonretarded peers more favorably than retarded peers, information about target peers' interests positively affected children's attitudes, children were able to see themselves as similar to retarded target peers, and children who saw themselves as similar to the target peer evaluated that peer more positively than children who did not perceive themselves as similar.

The protective effect of the label "mentally retarded" was tested to determine whether the label could help ameliorate the negative attitudes children have toward mentally retarded peers who exhibit poor social behavior. Nonretarded fourth through sixth graders (n = 126) viewed a videotape of a mildly retarded target child reading. The target was either labeled or not labeled "mentally retarded" and was depicted as either socially withdrawn or aggressive. Assessment of children's attitudes indicated that the label had a protective effect when the retarded child was withdrawn but only a very weak effect when the child was aggressive. This suggests a limit to the protective effect of the label. Results reaffirmed the necessity of examining labels in combination with child characteristics in order to understand more fully the effects of labels.

The relationship between the attitudes children express toward mentally retarded peers in laboratory settings and their social acceptance of such peers in their mainstream classrooms was examined. Forty-six fourth through sixth graders expressed their attitudes toward an unknown mentally retarded student presented in a videotape. They also indicated their social acceptance, rejection, or neglect of a mentally retarded peer in their classroom. A step-wise multiple regression analysis showed that children's attitudes toward the target child in the laboratory setting were related to their sociometric choices of the retarded classmate. Results supported previous indirect evidence of a relationship between children's attitudes toward retarded peers presented in a laboratory setting and their social acceptance of retarded peers mainstreamed in their classrooms.

The social relationships of 64 adolescents with moderate mental retardation from seven classes in a special day school were examined via two sociometric measures. Results indicated that the classes contained social structures similar to those found in regular classrooms for students without retardation. Students were selective in choosing friends and playmates, there was reciprocity in their friendship choices, and classes had popular and rejected students. Further, students frequently chose as friends members of the opposite sex, peers from other classes, and adults in the school and community. Implications for future research concerning the nature and development of friendships among students with mental retardation were discussed.