The Role of Respect in the Relation of Aggression to Popularity Amanda Kuryluk, Robert Cohen and Shannon Audley-Piotrowski, The University of Memphis Abstract Can aggressive children be popular with peers? Generally, sociometric popularity (liking nominations) has been shown to be negatively associated with aggression, and perceived popularity (popularity nominations) has been shown to be positively asso- ciated with aggression. The thesis of the present research was that being respected by peers moderates the relation between aggression and popularity. For both third- through sixth-grade boys (N = 107) and girls (N = 117), perceived popularity by peers was positively associated with nominations for aggression (both overt and relational) only for children high in respect.Aggression was negatively associated with sociomet- ric popularity for girls who were low in respect; sociometric popularity for girls high in respect was not related to aggression nominations. In sum, aggressive children were considered to be popular only if they were respected; aggressive girls were not disliked if they were respected. Keywords: aggression; peer relations; popularity; respect Introduction Aggression can be very disruptive to peer relations and peer activities, and it is not surprising that children generally do not like aggressive peers (see Dodge, Coie, & Lynam, 2006). Interestingly, however, other consequences of being aggressive reveal a more complex picture. For example, aggressive children sometimes are perceived as popular by their peers (LaFontana & Cillessen, 2002; Rodkin, Farmer, Pearl, &Van Acker, 2000). Thus, although aggression is usually negatively associated with peer group liking, aggression may be positively associated with peer group popularity. What contributes to these somewhat paradoxical findings? The thesis of the present research was that respect from peers plays a role in understanding how aggression is related to these assessments of popularity. Specifically, it is proposed that being respected by peers moderates the potential damaging effects of aggression for one’s position in the group. The paper is presented in four sections. Following a discussion of sociometric popularity and perceived popularity, research on the relation of aggression to these Correspondence should be addressed to Robert Cohen, University of Memphis, Department of Psychology, 202 Psychology Bldg. Memphis, TN 38152, USA. Email: rcohen@memphis.edu doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9507.2011.00613.x © Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2011. Published by Blackwell Publishing, 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK and 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA.