Status Perceptions Matter: Understanding Disliking among Adolescents

Status Perceptions Matter: Understanding Disliking among Adolescents

IF=1.915

Abstract:

The emergence of disliking relations depends on how adolescents perceive the relative informal status of their peers. This phenomenon is examined on a longitudinal sample using dynamic network analysis (585 students across 16 classes in 5 schools). As hypothesized, individuals dislike those who they look down on (disdain), and conform to others by disliking those who they perceive as being looked down on by their peers (conformity). The inconsistency between status perceptions also leads to disliking, when individuals do not look up to those who they perceive to be admired by peers (frustration). No evidence is found that adolescents do not dislike those who they look up to (admiration). Results demonstrate the role of status perceptions on disliking tie formation.

Keywords: disliking ties, social networks, status perception, adolescents, RSiena models