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ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5467-7960

Access Type

Open Access Thesis

Document Type

thesis

Degree Program

Sociology

Degree Type

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Year Degree Awarded

2021

Month Degree Awarded

May

Abstract

It is well-documented that adolescents tend to befriend those who share demographic characteristics like gender. Less clear is how culture connects to these homogeneous relationships. This study examines the effects of gender-typed behavior on adolescent friendships at dyadic and school levels. The friendship network data are drawn from the well-known wave 1 ‘saturation school’ component of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. I show that adolescents tend to befriend those who share similar gender-typed behavior, above and beyond simple demographic affiliation. Also, when students in particular schools exhibit more heterogeneous gender-typed behavior, the expression of gender-typed behavior homophily within schools becomes stronger, whereas gender homophily declines. The results support previous research showing cultural dispositions shape network patterns, but also provides evidence of contextual network formation processes.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7275/23305658.0

First Advisor

Mark Pachucki

Second Advisor

Joya Misra

Third Advisor

Donald Tomaskovic-Devey

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