Adolescent crowd affiliations and the perceived ingroup homogeneity effect

The social structure of high schools is characterized by a hierarchy of various groups to which adolescents can identify. These crowds provide reputation-based identities which are particularly salient among adolescents. Although research has provided information regarding crowd structure, less is known about effects of membership. An adolescent's crowd membership can be an important source of social identity and positive self-esteem. Social identity theory is useful in explaining this process by describing how people's psychological motivations interact with their understanding of a social situation to influence cognition. For members of low-status groups, affiliation does not readily provide a source of positive social identity. Therefore, individuals use identity-maintenance strategies to maintain self-image. In this study, I explore perceptions of ingroup homogeneity as an identity-maintenance strategy within adolescent crowds. I also examine whether membership in the more stable racial and gender categories influence the use of homogeneity perceptions in identity management. My findings indicate that membership in one group influences cognition regarding membership in a group with an entirely different social structure.Department of SociologyThesis (M.A.