This paper reports on a study of situational influences of affect and goal value on social problem-solving in middle childhood. It was expected that the adequacy of any particular social problem-solving process would be reduced by increases in goal intensity. On the basis of prior testing, two social goals of high value and two of low value were selected for 90 fourth and fifth graders. Goals were included in four hypothetical social problems presented to the children following randomly assigned happy, angry, or neutral "mood inductions." Results revealed that factors which increase the intensity of the social situation inhibited the social problem-solving process. This was reflected by reduced flexibility, greater irrelevancy, use of fewer prosocial strategies, and use of more authority-oriented techniques. Appended are six references and related materials. (Author/GLR)