Financial Disadvantage, Popularity, And Delinquency: An Analysis of Longitudinal, Social Network Data

• In Event: Macro Perspectives of Crime and Delinquency

Abstract

The current paper examines the impact of being from a financially disadvantaged family on adolescents’ social capital in school networks, and the implications of such social network positions on delinquency. More specifically, the present project uses longitudinal, social network data to explore if disadvantaged adolescents occupy positions in adolescent friendship networks with less centrality, reciprocity, and stability than non-disadvantaged adolescents, and if they are more often members of subgroups. Based upon Cohen’s subcultural theory, disadvantaged adolescents are differentially equipped to achieve status through conventional methods, often driving these individuals to seek alternative status-seeking strategies. Thus, I test if there is an interaction between financial disadvantage and popularity in predicting delinquency, as disadvantaged adolescents who are less popular may be especially likely to seek status through other means, such as by engaging in delinquency. Social network analyses reveal that, from 6th grade through 12th grade, disadvantaged adolescents consistently score lower than non-disadvantaged adolescents in measures of centrality, reciprocity, and the stability of their friendships. These results will be supplemented with multilevel regression models to clarify the differences that may be accounted for by various predictors of popularity and delinquency, such as measures of school attachment, school grades, and family bonding.

Authors

• Douglas Andrew Baals, Pennsylvania State University

• Wayne Osgood, Pennsylvania State University

• Nayan Ramirez, Pennsylvania State University