Poster #222 - Early adolescent’ social status transitions: The role of aggression and prosociality.

• In Event: 3-159 - Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: PS 12 Section - Social Relationships

Integrative Statement

Social status is a relevant organizer of early adolescents’ peer dynamics, where social behaviors play a central role. Traditionally, two dimensions of social status have been identified, popularity and social preference (Mayeux, Houser, & Dyches, 2011). Popular students are perceived as being cool, well known by others and often admired. Socially preferred students are liked and appreciated by others and desired as friends. Some studies have reported that during early adolescence, the association between popularity and social preference decreases (Cillessen & Mayeux, 2004). This suggests that throughout the transition to adolescence some students might be admired but not really liked by their peers. Nevertheless, only a few studies have taken a person-centered perspective in order to determine potential social status profiles among early adolescents. Moreover, several studies have focused on several other social status dimensions such as being cool (Rodkin, Farmer, Pearl, Van Acker, 2000), being admired (Berger, 2012). Also, social behaviors (i.e. aggression and prosociality) have been identified as mechanisms through which early adolescents may obtain social status (Cillessen, 2011). Aggression has been proposed as the path for obtaining and maintaining popularity, while prosocial behavior as the path for social preference. Consequently, aggressive individuals normally can be seen as cool, but they are rejected by others. Furthermore, prosocial individuals are considered good and desired as friends, although not necessarily cool or popular.
The goal of the present study was to identify social status profiles among early adolescents and to determine if these profiles are stable over time and if the transitions can be predicted by the display of aggressive and prosocial behavior. For that purpose, 1163 fourth to sixth graders (Age range=10 - 12, 52% males) from four different schools in Santiago, Chile, were surveyed. Two waves were carried out (Fall 2012 and Spring 2012). Students were asked to answer a peer nomination roster with different indicators for aggressive and prosocial behavior, popularity, coolness, social preference, and best friends.
A Latent Profile Analysis suggested that both at T1 and T2 four profiles of social status could be identified: A high-status profile, prominent profile, an average profile, and a low-status profile (see Figure 1). A Latent Transition Analysis showed that low-status status was the most stable profile and its most likely transition was to the average profile. The likelihood of this transition increased for adolescents displaying prosocial behaviors. The prominent profile was also stable but its most likely transition was to the low-status profile for adolescents displaying aggressive behavior and not prosocial behavior. The stability on the high-status profile was predicted by the use of aggressive and prosocial behavior, while its transition to a prominent profile was predicted by the use of aggressive behaviors. The transition from high-status to low-status and vice versa where the least likely transitions. Results are discussed in the light of the notion of bistrategic controllers from the Resource Control Theory (Hawley, 1999).

Authors

• Eduardo Franco Chalco, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile
  Presenting Author

• Christian Berger, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile
  Non-Presenting Author