Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

This study investigated the ethnocultural composition of the peer networks of acculturated (i.e., multigeneration North American) and ethnoculturally-affiliated (i.e., immigrant/first generation) adolescents living within a multicultural context. Participants were 896 students attending a large suburban high school. This study addressed three issues. First, to elucidate patterns of intergroup social interaction in a multicultural setting, the extent to which acculturated and ethnoculturally-affiliated youth demonstrate own-group preferences and segregation in peer group selections was examined. Results indicated that although all groups exhibited own-group preferences, they did not report segregated patterns of interaction. Second, the influence of demographic variables on the ethnocultural mix of peer networks of acculturated and ethnoculturallyaffiliated adolescents was investigated. Results demonstrated that gender, age, socioeconomic status, and academic level differentially predicted homophily in accordance with the ethnocultural group affiliation of the adolescent. Third, to advance our understanding of the influence of ethnocultural mix on developmentally salient aspects of adolescents'peer relations, structural characteristics ofpfer networks varying in levels of ethnocultural mix were examined. Results demonstrated that gender mix, setting mix, and frequency of contact significantly differed across homogeneous, integrated, and heterogeneous peer structures. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of recognizing the mitigating impact of environmental factors on the interplay between ethnocultural affiliation and peer relations.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Allport, G. (1958). The nature of prejudice. Garden City, NY: Doubleday.

Benfy, J. , Trimble, J. , & Olmedo, E. (1986). Assessment of acculturation. In W. Lomer & J. Beny (Eds.), Field methods in cross-cultural research (pp. 291-324). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

Blau, P. , & Schwartz, J. (1984). Crosscutting social circles: Testing a macrostructural theory of intergroup relations. New York: Academic Press.

Blyth, D. A. , Hill, J. P. , & Thiel, K. S. (1982). Early adolescents' significant others: Grade and gender differences in perceived relationships with familial and non-familial adults and young people. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 11, 425-450.

Boyd, D. (1992). The moral part of pluralism as the plural part of moral education. In F. C. Power & D. K. Lapsley (Eds.), The challenge of pluralism: Education, politics, and values (pp. 141-168). Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.

Brand, E. S. , Ruiz, R. A. , & Padella, A. M. (1974). Ethnic identification and preference. Psychological Bulletin, 81, 860-890.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Brown, B. B. (1989). The role of peer groups in adolescents' adjustment to secondary school. In T. Bemdt & G. Ladd (Eds.), Peer relationships in child development (pp. 188-215). New York: Wiley.

Brown, B. , Eicher, S. A. , & Petrie, S. (1986). The importance of peer group ("crowd") affiliation in adolescence. Journal of Adolescence, 9,73-96.

10.

Coleman, J. S. (1980). Friendship and the peer group in adolescence. In J. Adelson (Ed.), Handbook of adolescent psychology (pp. 408-431). New York: Wiley.

11.

Constantinou, S. , & Harvey, M. (1985). Dimensional structure and intergenerational differences in ethnicity: The Greek Americans. Sociology and Social Research, 69, 234-254.

12.

Coopersmith, S. (1969). The antecedents of self-esteem. San Francisco: Freeman.

13.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. , & Larson, R. (1984). Beingadolescent: Conflict and growth in the teenage years. New York: Basic Books.

14.

Dunphy, D. (1963). The social structure of urban adolescent peer groups. Sociometry, 26, 230-246.

15.

Epstein, J. (1983). Friends among students in schools: Environmental and developmental factors. In J. Epstein & N. Karweit (Eds.), Friends in school: Patterns of selection and influence in secondary schools. New York: Academic Press.

16.

Fathi, A. (1972). Some aspects of changing ethnic identity of Canadian Jewish youth. Jewish Social Studies, 34, 23-30.

17.

Hallinan, M. (1982). Classroom racial composition and children's friendships. Social Forces, 61(1), 56-71.

18.

Hallinan, M. , & Teiveira, R. (1987). Student's interracial friendships: Individual characteristics, structural effects, and racial differences. American Journal of Education, 95, 563-583.

19.

Hallinan, M. , & Williams, R. A. (1987). The stability of students' interracial friendships. American Sociological Review, 52, 653-664.

20.

Hansell, S. (1981). Ego development and peer friendship networks. Sociology of Education, 54, 51-63.

21.

Hartup, W. W. (1983). Peer relations. In P. H. Mussen (Ed.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol IV. Socialization, personality, and social development (pp. 103-196). New York: Wiley.

22.

Isajiw, W. (1990). Ethnic-identity retention. In R. Breton , W. Isajiw , W. Kalbach , & J. Reitz (Eds.), Ethnic identity and equality: Varieties of experience in a Canadian city (pp. 34-91). Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

23.

Kallen, E. (1982). Ethnicity and human rights in Canada. Toronto, Canada: Gage.

24.

Kandel, D. (1978). Similarity in real-life adolescent friendship pairs. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36, 306-312.

25.

Kehoe, J. (1984). Multicultural Canada: Considerationsfor schools, teachers, and the curriculum. Toronto, Canada: OISE Press.

26.

Langlois, J. , & Stephan, C. (1977). The effects of physical attractiveness and ethnicity on children's behavioral attributions and peer preferences. Child Development, 48, 1694-1698.

27.

Lundberg, G. , & Dickson, L. (1952). Selective association among ethnic groups in ahigh school population. American Sociological Review, 17,23-35.

28.

Montemayor, R. , & Van Komen, R. (1980). Age segregation of adolescents in and out of school. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 9, 371-381.

29.

Nicgorski, W. (1992). American pluralism: A condition or a goal? In F. C. Power & D. K. Lapsley (Eds.), The challenge ofpluralism: Education, politics, and values (pp. 15-38). Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.

30.

Olneck, M. (1992). Is pluralism possible in American public education? In F. C.. Power & D. K. Lapsley (Eds.), The challenge ofpluralism: Education, politics, and values (pp. 251-271). Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.

31.

Phinney, J. S. (1990). Ethnic identity in adolescents and adults: Review of research. Psychological Bulletin, 108(3), 499-514.

32.

Schofield, J. , & Sagar, H. (1977). Peer interaction patterns in an integrated middle school. Sociometry, 40(2), 130-138.

33.

Shrum, W. , Cheek, N. , & Hunter, S. (1988). Friendship in school: Gender and racial homophily. Sociology of Education, 61, 227-239.

34.

St. John, N. , & Lewis, R. (1975). Race and the social structure of the elementary classroom. Sociology of Education, 48, 346-368.

35.

Statistics Canada . (1988). Ontario part II profile: 1986 census (Catalogue 94-112). Ottawa, Canada: Minister of Supply and Services.

36.

Stephan, W. , & Rosenfield, D. (1978). Effects of desegregation on race relations and self-esteem. Journal of Educational Psychology, 70(5), 670-679.

37.

Thomas, K. C. (1982). The influence of race on adolescent friendship patterns. Educational Studies, 8, 175-183.

38.

Ting-Toomey, S. (1981). Ethnic identity and close friendship in Chinese-American college students. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 5, 383-406.

39.

Vondra, J. , & Garbarino, J. (1988). Social influences on adolescent behavioral problems. In S. Salzinger , J. Antrobus , & M. Hammer (Eds.), Social networks of children, adolescents, and college students (pp. 195-224). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

40.

Whitley, B. E. , Schofield, J. , & Snyder, H. (1984). Peer preferences in a desegregated school: A round robin analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46(4), 799-810.

Peer Network Composition of Acculturated and Ethnoculturally-Affillated Adolescents in a Multicultural Setting

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References