Understanding Popularity in the Peer System

TLDR

Research has traditionally examined rejected youth and negative behaviors, but recent interest has shifted to high‑status youth, distinguishing those genuinely liked and prosocial from those popular yet not well liked, who are socially central yet display mixed prosocial and aggressive behaviors. Research now seeks to delineate the distinctive characteristics, developmental precursors, and consequences of these two groups, with particular focus on the impact of high‑status, socially powerful aggressors on their peers. The heterogeneity of high‑status youth complicates understanding of peer group dynamics but promises new insights into the developmental significance of peer relationships.

Abstract

Much research has focused on youth who are rejected by peers; who engage in negative behavior, including aggression; and who are at risk for adjustment problems. Recently, researchers have become increasingly interested in high-status youth. A distinction is made between two groups of high-status youth: those who are genuinely well liked by their peers and engage in predominantly prosocial behaviors and those who are seen as popular by their peers but are not necessarily well liked. The latter group of youth is well known, socially central, and emulated, but displays a mixed profile of prosocial as well as aggressive and manipulative behaviors. Research now needs to address the distinctive characteristics of these two groups and their developmental precursors and consequences. Of particular interest are high-status and socially powerful aggressors and their impact on their peers. The heterogeneity of high-status youth complicates the understanding of the social dynamics of the peer group, but will lead to new and important insights into the developmental significance of peer relationships.