This study examined the dynamics of popularity in adolescent friendship networks across 3 years in middle school. Longitudinal social network modeling was used to identify selection and influence in the similarity of popularity among friends. It was argued that lower status adolescents strive to enhance their status through befriending higher…

Eighty-seven children relinquished at birth and adopted before the age of three years into different social classes were assessed in late adolescence. Findings indicated that the school failure of adoptees varies as a function of the social class of the adopive parents: the higher the social class, the lower the number of repeated grades. (RH)