A Social Psychological Analysis of Peer Tutoring

This paper reviews studies of the conditions and processes that maximize successful outcomes in peer tutoring programs involving both adults and children. Particular attention is given to studies of social psychological variables. Five areas are reviewed: (a) research on tutoring behaviors, and their relation to outcomes; (b) studies of effective tutorial instructional methods; (c) investigations of expectations and attributions in tutoring settings; (d) studies of tutorial roles and student pairings; and (e) research on tutoring involving cooperative learning formats. Based on this, research recommendations are made for structuring tutoring programs.