Behavioral versus cognitive classroom friendship networks |
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Authors: | Matthew Pittinsky Brian V Carolan |
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Institution: | (1) Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy (ISERP), Columbia University, 420 W. 118th Street, Room 270, New York, NY 10027, USA;(2) College of Staten Island, CUNY, 2800 Victory Blvd., Building 3S-224, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA |
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Abstract: | Researchers of social networks commonly distinguish between “behavioral” and “cognitive” social structure. In a school context,
for example, a teacher’s perceptions of student friendship ties, not necessarily actual friendship relations, may influence
teacher behavior. Revisiting early work in the field of sociometry, this study assesses the level of agreement between teacher
perceptions and student reports of within-classroom friendship ties. Using data from one middle school teacher and four classes
of students, the study explores new ground by assessing agreement over time and across classroom social contexts, with the
teacher-perceiver held constant. While the teacher’s perceptions and students’ reports were statistically similar, 11–29%
of possible ties did not match. In particular, students reported significantly more reciprocated friendship ties than the
teacher perceived. Interestingly, the observed level of agreement varied across classes and generally increased over time.
This study further demonstrates that significant error can be introduced by conflating teacher perceptions and student reports.
Findings reinforce the importance of treating behavioral and cognitive classroom friendship networks as distinct, and analyzing
social structure data that are carefully aligned with the social process hypothesized.
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Keywords: | Social networks Classroom sociometry Cognitive social structure Classroom friendships |
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