For over 30 years, members of the Peer Relations Study Group have conducted research on key facets of peer relations among adolescents and young adults. Published reports from this research provide useful information for social scientists, parents, and practitioners working with youth. Current projects concern peer factors in young people’s use of social media, decisions about sharing information about peers with parents, performance as newly licensed drivers, and adjustment to major adolescent transitions (e.g., into middle school, high school, or college).
Members of the PRSG team are pre-and post-doctoral students working with Dr. Bradford Brown at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Past work in the PRSG has launched the academic careers of over a dozen social scientists and an equal number of educational practitioners or counselors/therapists working with young people. Team members have produced a series of research measures that are available free of charge for use by other social scientists. For more information about the PRSG, please contact us.
Current Lab Members Undergraduate Interns PRSG Alumni Lab photos
Current Lab Members
B. Bradford Brown
Position title: PROFESSOR
Email:
bbbrown
Since joining the faculty in 1979, Dr. Brown has become one of the nation’s leading authorities on adolescent peer relations, particularly the formation and functioning of adolescent peer groups. Dr. Brown is a Faculty Associate in the Wisconsin Center for Educational Research. He teaches courses on adolescent development, human development theory, and social and personality development.
Amy Niu
Position title: Doctoral Candidate
Email:
yniu6
Amy Niu is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Educational Psychology. Since joining the lab, she has been interested in studying the socioemotional development of late adolescents and young adults, especially the impact of new technology and social media on these individual’s self-images, the formation of social relationships, and socioemotional transitions in new settings.
Angela “Angie” Calvin
Position title: Doctoral Candidate
Email:
acalvin
Angela “Angie” Calvin is a Ph.D. candidate in the Human Development area of the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research broadly focuses on the social relationships of adolescents. Her program of research specifically centers on the risks and opportunities of digital technology on the identity and psychosocial development of adolescents.
Maame Adomako
Position title: Doctoral Candidate
Email:
adomako
Maame Adomako is a Ph.D. candidate in the Human Development area. Her professional and research experiences are aimed toward enhancing leadership and diversity among adolescents in education. Her research addresses student developmental experiences in Predominantly White Institutions.
Pauline Ho
Position title: Doctoral Candidate
Email:
pho25
Pauline Ho is a Ph.D. candidate in the Human Development area of the Department of Educational Psychology. Her research focuses on how emerging adults, particularly racial and ethnic minorities, become who they are and how their sense of identities impact their well-being and other important decisions in their lives (e.g., choosing a college major or occupation).
