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Methods for studying small groups are applied to theoretical questions derived from social psychology. Groups of five persons, of like sex and age, ranging from age five to twenty were studied over four separate sessions. The focus was on age-related developments in interpersonal dynamics, such as number of interaction participants, clique formation, inter- action forms, interaction sequence profiles, and within-session dynamics. Piagetian, social learning and symbolic interaction paradigms are used to interpret the findings. The evidence argues that negative and positive interpersonal actions differ in their effect on social adaptation, status and power differentiation increases with age, and that developmental stages are more complex than the Meadian and Piagetian traditions have suggested. Furthermore, the data suggest strong pressures towards homeostasis within interpersonal relationships, regardless of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]