Homophily in Adolescence: Is Similarity in Status Characteristics Associated with Similarity in Anti-school Behaviour?

Abstract

This study asks to what extent similarity in status characteristics (gender and ethnicity) is linked with similarity in anti-school behaviour. We argue that the social forces responsible for homophily-based selection are also at work with regard to homophily-based influence. We use data from the Flemish Educational Assessment Study, which collected complete network data from a representative sample of Flemish secondary school adolescents (N = 11,872). Results indicate that similarity on gender and ethnicity is linked with similarity on behavioural characteristics. Furthermore, the association between status homophily and behavioural homophily is stronger for boys than girls. For minorities, status heterophily on ethnicity is associated with behavioural heterophily, which may be an indication that minority students distance themselves from their majority-group friends.