Scott Gest

Scott Gest focuses on the developmental processes linking children’s school-based peer experiences with their academic competence and problem behaviors. He is especially interested in how teaching practices and intervention efforts may promote positive peer experiences and better school adjustment. This work is centered on children in the elementary grades, but extends from preK through high school. Gest draws upon theories from developmental, educational and social psychology and methods from social network analysis to explore these issues in both non-intervention and intervention studies.

Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1995
A.B., University of North Carolina, 1987
 

• peer relationships (friendships, cliques, bullying)
• social-emotional learning
• teacher influence on classroom social dynamics
• school-based interventions