The American Sociological Review - Assignment Example

The American Sociological Review of Article: Status struggles: Network centrality and gender segregation in same-and cross- gender aggressionAuthors: Robert Faris and Diane FelmleeSource: American Sociological Review, 76, 1, 2011. In this case study, Robert Faris and Diane Felmlee evaluates aggression from a social network point of view. Unlike earlier studies and literature that posits that aggressive behavior is caused by individual differences such as troublesome home environments, psychological difficulties and incompetence, the researchers argue that aggression capacity is increased by individuals’ primary measure of peer pressure based on its centrality in human beings social network.

In addition, they suggest that aggression is motivated by competition to maintain or gain status (Faris & Felmlee, 2011). In order to verify their argument, a unique longitudinal method of sampling was employed where each dataset of respondents facilitated consideration of both the same same-and cross-gender aggression. The survey involved a study of adolescents in three countries at an interval of six month from the springs of 2002 and was completed in the fall of 2005 (Faris & Felmlee, 2011).

In regards to this study, the authors found out that rather than the perceived maladjusted reaction associated with social marginal, aggression is inherent to the status and rises with progression in peer status until actualization is attained based on the social hierarchy. As a result, intensity of aggression is least recorded among people at both extremes of the hierarchy (Archier & Coyne, 2005). Moreover, the researchers notes that an individual’s gender differences have less influence on their aggression level as opposed to their effect on their interactions with other gender and forms of gender isolation at school.

It is worth noting that aggression is diminished by abundance of cross-gender relationships (Archier & Coyne, 2005). Robert Faris and Diane Felmlee point out that status distinction is established by cross-gender friendships hence magnifying network centrality consequences (Faris & Felmlee, 2011). Nevertheless, in my own opinion, the study would have been better if the researchers had included forms of aggression, frequency of occurrence, and gender factors. ReferencesArchier, J. & Coyne, S. M. (2005). An integrated review of indirect relational and social aggression.

Pers Soc Psychology rev, 9 (3), 212-230. Faris, R. & Felmlee, D. (2011).Status struggles: Network centrality and gender segregation in same-and cross-gender aggression. American Sociological Review, 76(1), 48-73.