Cited by 385Bullying, Victimization, and AggressionChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentChild and Animal Learning Development

Friendships and social networks in childhood and adolescence: Fluidity, reliability, and interrelations

Cairns, Robert B., Leung, Man-Chi, Buchanan, Lisa, Cairns, Beverley D.·1995·Child Development

Abstract

Social networks and friendships were tracked over a 3-week period for 132 students enrolled in fourth- and seventh-grade classrooms. Individual interviews were employed to collect data on friendships. Social group membership was determined by the composite social-cognitive map (SCM) procedure and by self-reports. Considerable overlap was found among the methods for establishing relational patterns (i.e., friendships, self-reported groups, composite social-cognitive maps). When loose criteria for stability were employed, high stability was found in friendships (p = .56-.75) and social group membership (p = .90) over a 3-week period. But when stringent criteria were employed, only modest social relationship stability was observed in both methods, suggesting that there is much greater fluidity in peer bonds than has been generally recognized. The relationship between friendship and social network measures, the distinctive information yielded by social networks, and gender and age differences in group structure, fluidity, and friendships are discussed.

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Crossref · 10.2307/1131650

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Authors
Cairns, R. B., Leung, M.-C., Buchanan, L., & Cairns, B. D.
Affiliations
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
Venue
Child Development
Published
1995-10
Volume
66
Issue
5
Pages
1330
ISSN
0009-3920 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1985521685
Cited by
385
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 18
FWCI
10.64
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Child Development (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (5r01hd023302-07, 5r01mh045532-12)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01-MH-45532, P50-MH52429-01, P50MH052429)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01-HD-23302-04)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
Keywords
friendship, social networks, peer relationships, social group membership, friendship stability, children, adolescents, gender differences, age differences, group structure
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Psychology, Adolescent, Child, Psychology, Child, Female, Gender Identity, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Personality Development, Social Environment, Social Support, Sociometric Techniques

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