The Moderating Role of Classroom Descriptive Norms in the Association of Student Behavior With Social Preference and Popularity

This study addressed the moderating role of classroom descriptive norms
for overt and relational aggression, social withdrawal, prosocial behavior, and
academic reputation in the association of behavior with social preference and
popularity in early adolescence. Participants were 1,492 fifth-grade students
( X age = 10.6 years, 52.7% boys) from 59 classrooms who completed
unlimited peer nominations for status and behavior. Classroom descriptive
norms were computed as the average proportion of classroom nominations
received for the different social behaviors. Multilevel analyses revealed that
the negative association between overt aggression and social preference was
attenuated in classrooms with high norms for overt aggression. The negative
association between academic reputation and social preference was enhanced
in classrooms with high norms for academic reputation. Classroom norms
did not moderate the associations between behavior and popularity. The
type of behavior and the type of status should be considered when examining
classroom descriptive norms and behavior-status associations