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Multidimensional similarity in multiplex networks: friendships between same- and cross-gender bullies and same- and cross-gender victims

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 February 2020

Marianne Hooijsma Open the ORCID record for Marianne Hooijsma [Opens in a new window] ,
Gijs Huitsing Open the ORCID record for Gijs Huitsing [Opens in a new window] ,
Dorottya Kisfalusi Open the ORCID record for Dorottya Kisfalusi [Opens in a new window] ,
Jan Kornelis Dijkstra Open the ORCID record for Jan Kornelis Dijkstra [Opens in a new window] ,
Andreas Flache Open the ORCID record for Andreas Flache [Opens in a new window]  and
René Veenstra Open the ORCID record for René Veenstra [Opens in a new window]
Marianne Hooijsma*
Affiliation:
University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands (e-mails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]);
Gijs Huitsing
Affiliation:
University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands (e-mails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]);
Dorottya Kisfalusi
Affiliation:
Institute for Analytical Sociology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden, Institute for Sociology Centre for Social Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary (e-mail: [email protected])
Jan Kornelis Dijkstra
Affiliation:
University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands (e-mails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]);
Andreas Flache
Affiliation:
University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands (e-mails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]);
René Veenstra
Affiliation:
University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands (e-mails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]);
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

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Similar peers are more likely to become friends, but it remains unclear how the combination of multiple characteristics, known as multidimensional similarity, influences friendships. This study aimed to investigate whether similarity in gender (attribute) and bullying or victimization (network position) contributes to friendships. The school-level networks of friendships and victim-bully relationships in 17 Dutch elementary schools (2,130 students) were examined using multiplex longitudinal social network models (RSiena). The results showed that friendships were more likely to occur between same-gender peers and between bullies sharing their targets of victimization. Multidimensional similarity (similarities in gender as well as bullying) increased the likelihood of friendships for same-gender bullies targeting the same victims, but not for same-gender victims sharing bullies. The findings underline the importance of unraveling the interplay between different dimensions of similarity for children’s relationships and surpass unidimensional similarity based on single attributes.

Keywords

friendshipbullyinggendercoevolutionsocial networksRSienamultidimensional similaritychildhood
Type
Research Article
Information
Network Science , Volume 8 , Issue 1 , March 2020 , pp. 79 - 96
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2020

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