Methodological moderators of average outdegree centrality
A meta-analysis of child and adolescent friendship networks
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6161479 |
|---|---|
| Authors | J W Neal (0000-0002-7749-8121, Michigan State University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 107-121 |
| Publication date | 2024-03-08 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Network Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2050-1250 • E-ISSN: 2050-1242 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1017/nws.2024.2 |
| OpenAlex | W4392594838 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 23 |
Empirical articles vary considerably in how they measure child and adolescent friendship networks. This meta-analysis examines four methodological moderators of children’s and adolescents’ average outdegree centrality in friendship networks: boundary specification, operational definition of friendship, unlimited vs. fixed choice design, and roster vs. free recall design. Specifically, multi-level random effects models were conducted using 261 average outdegree centrality estimates from 71 English-language peer-reviewed articles and 55 unique datasets. There were no significant differences in average outdegree centrality for child and adolescent friendship networks bounded at the classroom, grade, and school-levels. Using a name generator focused on best/close friends yielded significantly lower average outdegree centrality estimates than using a name generator focused on friends. Fixed choice designs with under 10 nominations were associated with significantly lower estimates of average outdegree centrality while fixed choice designs with 10 or more nominations were associated with significantly higher estimates of average outdegree centrality than unlimited choice designs. Free recall designs were associated with significantly lower estimates of average outdegree centrality than roster designs. Results are discussed within the context of their implications for the future measurement of child and adolescent friendship networks
Centrality · Friendship · Statistics · Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression · Mathematics · Psychology · Social Capital and Networks · Social Media and Politics · Social Psychology
Fixed effects and variance components estimation in three-level meta-analysis
The PRISMA 2020 statement
Conducting Meta-Analyses in R with the metafor Package
Research Methods in Social Network Analysis
Peer influence in the development of adolescent antisocial behavior
Network selection and influence effects on children’s and adolescents’ internalizing behaviors and peer victimization
Centrality in social networks conceptual clarification
What is(n’t) a friend? Dimensions of the friendship concept among adolescents
Forgetting in the recall-based elicitation of personal and social networks
A systematic review of social network methods in high impact developmental psychology journals
Toward understanding the functions of peer influence
Methodological Issues in the Use of Peer Sociometric Nominations with Middle School Youth
Relations Between Alphabetized Name Order and Nomination Counts in Peer Nomination Measures
The structural implications of measurement error in sociometry
Variations in network boundary and type
Name order effects in measuring adolescent social networks using rosters
Network Data and Measurement
| Citations per year | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Highly cited | No |