Interaction and performance within cooperative groups: effects on nonhandicapped students' attitudes toward their mildly mentally retarded peers.

Preferences of 40 nonretarded 7- to 12-year-old children for their mildly mentally retarded schoolmates were assessed before and after participating in a cooperative game with a retarded child. Game conditions varied interaction opportunities between dyad members (high or low) and performance of the retarded child (good or poor). Children's preferences for their retarded partners increased significantly from pre- to postgame, despite performance or interaction levels, suggesting that these factors do not mediate the relation between cooperation and interpersonal attraction. High interaction, however, produced less negative behavioral ratings of and higher rates of positive behavior toward retarded children across time.