Crossing ethnic boundaries? A social network investigation of defending relationships in schools

Marianne Hooijsma,Jan Kornelis Dijkstra,Dorottya Kisfalusi,Gijs Huitsing,René Veenstra,Andreas Flache

doi:10.1177/13684302211009318

Abstract

Prosocial peer relationships, such as defending against victimization, are beneficial for integration. Using the concept of multiple categorization, this study considers the extent to which similarity in gender, being in the same classroom, and similarity in network position regarding bullying or victimization contributes to the formation of cross-ethnic defending relationships among children. Longitudinal social network models were applied to complete school-level networks of 1,325 children in eight multi-ethnic elementary schools. Although same-ethnic peers were more likely to defend each other than cross-ethnic peers, similarity in gender, being in the same classroom, and similarity in network position in bullying fostered cross-ethnic defending. Moreover, being in the same classroom increased the likelihood of cross-ethnic defending even more than it did same-ethnic defending. A better understanding of how multiple categorization contributes to positive relationships between peers of different ethnic backgrounds may help to promote interethnic integration in multi-ethnic classrooms.

Highlights

Prosocial peer relationships, such as defending against victimization, are beneficial for integration
In the presentation of the results, we focus on the effects that are relevant for our hypotheses: namely, the effects for ethnicity, gender, classroom, and similarity in network position in bullying or victimization, in the defending network
Regarding our first hypothesis about the role of ethnicity in defending, we found that sameethnic peers were more likely to defend each other than were cross-ethnic peers: children were more likely to defend victims of the same ethnic background as themselves

Summary

Introduction

Prosocial peer relationships, such as defending against victimization, are beneficial for integration. Using the concept of multiple categorization, this study considers the extent to which similarity in gender, being in the same classroom, and similarity in network position regarding bullying or victimization contributes to the formation of cross-ethnic defending relationships among children. Studies of homophily in social networks have highlighted the importance of similarity in various social categories, called multidimensional similarity Among both children and adolescents, multidimensional similarity was found to affect the likelihood of a social relationship emerging between two individuals (Block & Grund, 2014; Hooijsma et al, 2020). We investigated whether sharing a similar position in the informal structure of peer relationships, as signaled by similarity in network position in bullying or victimization, plays a role in defending (Huitsing & Monks, 2018; Huitsing et al, 2014). Our aim was to investigate how shared membership in these categories, as well as the interaction of these similarities with ethnicity, affected defending relationships in multi-ethnic Dutch primary schools

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Conclusion