Article
Understanding Popularity and Relational Aggression in Adolescence: The Role of Social Dominance Orientation
Lara Mayeux,
Corresponding Author
Lara Mayeux
University of Oklahoma
Correspondence should be addressed to Lara Mayeux, 455 W. Lindsey Street, Room 705, Norman, OK 73019, USA. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorLara Mayeux,
Corresponding Author
Lara Mayeux
University of Oklahoma
Correspondence should be addressed to Lara Mayeux, 455 W. Lindsey Street, Room 705, Norman, OK 73019, USA. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
This study investigated a potential moderator of the association between popularity and relational aggression: social dominance orientation (SDO), the degree to which an individual endorses the importance of social hierarchy. One hundred eighty-five ninth graders completed a sociometric assessment of RA and popularity, and a self-report SDO measure. SDO was positively associated with popularity for both boys and girls, and with RA for girls. Popularity and RA were positively correlated for both genders. Regression analyses showed that SDO moderated the association between popularity and RA for girls, but not for boys. Girls who were both popular and who were social dominance-oriented were particularly high in peer-nominated RA. SDO may provide a useful framework for understanding the role of popularity in adolescent peer groups.
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