1-129 - Let’s Connect: Using Social Network Analysis to Understand Peer Relations in Educational Contexts

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Social network analysis (SNA) is a theoretical and methodological approach to research that involves identifying patterns of relationships between a set of individual actors. Developmental peer relations research has increasingly recognized SNA as useful for exploring children’s social perceptions, characterizing the social context of classrooms or schools, and understanding both peer relationship formation and peer influence on behaviors (Cappella et al., 2012; Veenstra et al., 2013). The papers in this symposium add to this growing body of work by using SNA to explore child and adolescent peer relations in educational contexts.

The first paper uses SNA to explore whether grade, class size, gender, and social status predict accurate perceptions of classroom relationships by perceivers and by perceived pairs of peers in middle childhood. Also focusing on middle childhood, the second paper employs SNA to characterize classroom aggressive norms and explores whether these norms moderate associations between aggressive behavior and social acceptance. Broadening the spectrum, the third paper uses SNA to longitudinally examine how high school students involved in youth participatory action research projects in three schools form relationships on an online platform designed to encourage communication across projects. Drawing on his expertise in SNA and childhood educational and social outcomes, Dr. Andres Molano will serve as a discussant, integrating findings across papers. As a set, the papers and discussion will highlight the versatility of SNA for understanding topics of interest to peer relations research including social perceptions, behavioral norms, and peer selection processes.

Sub Unit

• Social Relationships

Chair

• Jennifer Watling Watling Neal, Michigan State University

Discussant

• Andres Molano, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia.

Individual Presentations

• What Predicts Accurate Perceptions about Classroom Relationships?: The Role of Grade, Class Size, Gender, and Social Status - Presenting Author: Jennifer Watling Watling Neal, Michigan State University; Zachary P. Neal, Michigan State University; Elise Cappella, New York University

• Social Dynamics of Peer Aggression in Middle Childhood: The Role of Peer Networks in Classroom Aggression Norms - Presenting Author: Daisy Jackson, The Reeds Center for the Treatment of Anxiety, OCD and Related Disorders; Elise Cappella, New York University; Jennifer Watling Watling Neal, Michigan State University

• The Mystery of Friendship: Examining Youth Communication Patterns within an Online Social Network. - Presenting Author: Mariah Kornbluh, Michigan State Univ