Friendship selection and influence processes for popularity in early and mid‐adolescents

Abstract

IntroductionThis study examined the effect of popularity levels on friendship selection and friends' influence on popularity levels in early and mid‐adolescence.MethodsParticipants were 4205 Spanish adolescents (Mage = 13.1 years at Wave 1; 48% girls) belonging to 160 classrooms in two waves. Adolescents were asked about their friendships and the popularity of their classmates.ResultsLongitudinal social network analyses showed that adolescents preferred similarly popular peers as friends. High popular classmates were more attractive as friends, particularly in early adolescence. Popular adolescents were more selective in their friendship nominations and adolescents with popular friends became more popular over time. These two effects were only significant in mid‐adolescents, although comparative analyses showed a similar tendency at both age groups.ConclusionsThis study highlights the importance of popularity levels in adolescents' friendship selection and suggests that popularity, at the individual and group level, plays a relevant role in social development. Implications adapted to the different selection and influence processes in early and mid‐adolescence are discussed.

Emergence of a mutual-growth mechanism in networks evolved by social preference based on indirect utility

“…There is dependent growth in the formation of networks between people. For example, popularity among peers in adolescence has a contagious effect 47 , 48 , and research on weak tie theory and structural holes shows that links that expand indirect connections could be a source of growth 18 – 20 . Under these environmental conditions, people do not simply choose nodes that are random or have a high probability of being connected.…”

Adolescents’ Characteristics and Peer Relationships in Class: A Population Study

“…In investigating classmates’ social relationships, it is important to be aware that there are various different types [ 18 , 27 , 28 , 29 ]. For example, studies conducted in the class context have identified two related, but conceptually distinct aspects of peer social relationships, i.e., peer acceptance and peer friendship [ 15 , 27 , 28 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ]. Peer acceptance pertains to the individual’s perceived level of inclusion within the group.…”