Strategies for status attainment in peer early adolescent contexts
Authors:   ,   Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Escuela de Psicología, Franco Chalco Eduardo 
Published: April 2023

In recent years, different perspectives on the study of social competence during adolescence have risen. Strong accumulated evidence has shown that prominent and dominant social status are associated with aggressive behaviors. Yet, there are some perspectives that suggest that a combination of aggressive behaviors with prosocial strategies might be more effective to attain high status positions. However, the methodologies used to research this phenomenon still leave some empirical questions that are important to address. The present thesis aimed to describe the motivational, behavioral and social status implications of the use of resource control strategies for early adolescents. Three studies were designed to address this objective. The first study collected a sample of 180 students from 5th to 8th grade to validate and adapt the instruments used in the following studies. The second study collected a sample of 630 students from 5th to 8th grade to identify resource control strategies profiles and to compare their levels of aggression, prosocial behavior, popularity and social preference. The third study used a secondary sample from a larger longitudinal study of 1163 students from 4th to 6th grade to identify social status profiles and the role of aggression and prosocial behavior in transitions between profiles. Results indicated that 3 profiles of resource control strategies could be identified: Bistrategic, Prosocial and Noncontrollers. Similar results could be seen in the social status profiles: High-Status, Prominent Status, Average Status, Low Status. In general, aggressive behaviors were associated with prominent positions as well to low status positions. Prosocial behaviors were not associated with prosocial strategies, however both of them protected individuals for falling into low status profiles. The thesis showed the importance of taking person centered perspective to study the complexity of peer contextual phenomenon.In recent years, different perspectives on the study of social competence during adolescence have risen. Strong accumulated evidence has shown that prominent and dominant social status are associated with aggressive behaviors. Yet, there are some perspectives that suggest that a combination of aggressive behaviors with prosocial strategies might be more effective to attain high status positions. However, the methodologies used to research this phenomenon still leave some empirical questions that are important to address. The present thesis aimed to describe the motivational, behavioral and social status implications of the use of resource control strategies for early adolescents. Three studies were designed to address this objective. The first study collected a sample of 180 students from 5th to 8th grade to validate and adapt the instruments used in the following studies. The second study collected a sample of 630 students from 5th to 8th grade to identify resource control strategies profiles and to compare their levels of aggression, prosocial behavior, popularity and social preference. The third study used a secondary sample from a larger longitudinal study of 1163 students from 4th to 6th grade to identify social status profiles and the role of aggression and prosocial behavior in transitions between profiles. Results indicated that 3 profiles of resource control strategies could be identified: Bistrategic, Prosocial and Noncontrollers. Similar results could be seen in the social status profiles: High-Status, Prominent Status, Average Status, Low Status. In general, aggressive behaviors were associated with prominent positions as well to low status positions. Prosocial behaviors were not associated with prosocial strategies, however both of them protected individuals for falling into low status profiles. The thesis showed the importance of taking person centered perspective to study the complexity of peer contextual phenomenon.In recent years, different perspectives on the study of social competence during adolescence have risen. Strong accumulated evidence has shown that prominent and dominant social status are associated with aggressive behaviors. Yet, there are some perspectives that suggest that a combination of aggressive behaviors with prosocial strategies might be more effective to attain high status positions. However, the methodologies used to research this phenomenon still leave some empirical questions that are important to address. The present thesis aimed to describe the motivational, behavioral and social status implications of the use of resource control strategies for early adolescents. Three studies were designed to address this objective. The first study collected a sample of 180 students from 5th to 8th grade to validate and adapt the instruments used in the following studies. The second study collected a sample of 630 students from 5th to 8th grade to identify resource control strategies profiles and to compare their levels of aggression, prosocial behavior, popularity and social preference. The third study used a secondary sample from a larger longitudinal study of 1163 students from 4th to 6th grade to identify social status profiles and the role of aggression and prosocial behavior in transitions between profiles. Results indicated that 3 profiles of resource control strategies could be identified: Bistrategic, Prosocial and Noncontrollers. Similar results could be seen in the social status profiles: High-Status, Prominent Status, Average Status, Low Status. In general, aggressive behaviors were associated with prominent positions as well to low status positions. Prosocial behaviors were not associated with prosocial strategies, however both of them protected individuals for falling into low status profiles. The thesis showed the importance of taking person centered perspective to study the complexity of peer contextual phenomenon.In recent years, different perspectives on the study of social competence during adolescence have risen. Strong accumulated evidence has shown that prominent and dominant social status are associated with aggressive behaviors. Yet, there are some perspectives that suggest that a combination of aggressive behaviors with prosocial strategies might be more effective to attain high status positions. However, the methodologies used to research this phenomenon still leave some empirical questions that are important to address. The present thesis aimed to describe the motivational, behavioral and social status implications of the use of resource control strategies for early adolescents. Three studies were designed to address this objective. The first study collected a sample of 180 students from 5th to 8th grade to validate and adapt the instruments used in the following studies. The second study collected a sample of 630 students from 5th to 8th grade to identify resource control strategies profiles and to compare their levels of aggression, prosocial behavior, popularity and social preference. The third study used a secondary sample from a larger longitudinal study of 1163 students from 4th to 6th grade to identify social status profiles and the role of aggression and prosocial behavior in transitions between profiles. Results indicated that 3 profiles of resource control strategies could be identified: Bistrategic, Prosocial and Noncontrollers. Similar results could be seen in the social status profiles: High-Status, Prominent Status, Average Status, Low Status. In general, aggressive behaviors were associated with prominent positions as well to low status positions. Prosocial behaviors were not associated with prosocial strategies, however both of them protected individuals for falling into low status profiles. The thesis showed the importance of taking person centered perspective to study the complexity of peer contextual phenomenon.In recent years, different perspectives on the study of social competence during adolescence have risen. Strong accumulated evidence has shown that prominent and dominant social status are associated with aggressive behaviors. Yet, there are some perspectives that suggest that a combination of aggressive behaviors with prosocial strategies might be more effective to attain high status positions. However, the methodologies used to research this phenomenon still leave some empirical questions that are important to address. The present thesis aimed to describe the motivational, behavioral and social status implications of the use of resource control strategies for early adolescents. Three studies were designed to address this objective. The first study collected a sample of 180 students from 5th to 8th grade to validate and adapt the instruments used in the following studies. The second study collected a sample of 630 students from 5th to 8th grade to identify resource control strategies profiles and to compare their levels of aggression, prosocial behavior, popularity and social preference. The third study used a secondary sample from a larger longitudinal study of 1163 students from 4th to 6th grade to identify social status profiles and the role of aggression and prosocial behavior in transitions between profiles. Results indicated that 3 profiles of resource control strategies could be identified: Bistrategic, Prosocial and Noncontrollers. Similar results could be seen in the social status profiles: High-Status, Prominent Status, Average Status, Low Status. In general, aggressive behaviors were associated with prominent positions as well to low status positions. Prosocial behaviors were not associated with prosocial strategies, however both of them protected individuals for falling into low status profiles. The thesis showed the importance of taking person centered perspective to study the complexity of peer contextual phenomenon.In recent years, different perspectives on the study of social competence during adolescence have risen. Strong accumulated evidence has shown that prominent and dominant social status are associated with aggressive behaviors. Yet, there are some perspectives that suggest that a combination of aggressive behaviors with prosocial strategies might be more effective to attain high status positions. However, the methodologies used to research this phenomenon still leave some empirical questions that are important to address. The present thesis aimed to describe the motivational, behavioral and social status implications of the use of resource control strategies for early adolescents. Three studies were designed to address this objective. The first study collected a sample of 180 students from 5th to 8th grade to validate and adapt the instruments used in the following studies. The second study collected a sample of 630 students from 5th to 8th grade to identify resource control strategies profiles and to compare their levels of aggression, prosocial behavior, popularity and social preference. The third study used a secondary sample from a larger longitudinal study of 1163 students from 4th to 6th grade to identify social status profiles and the role of aggression and prosocial behavior in transitions between profiles. Results indicated that 3 profiles of resource control strategies could be identified: Bistrategic, Prosocial and Noncontrollers. Similar results could be seen in the social status profiles: High-Status, Prominent Status, Average Status, Low Status. In general, aggressive behaviors were associated with prominent positions as well to low status positions. Prosocial behaviors were not associated with prosocial strategies, however both of them protected individuals for falling into low status profiles. The thesis showed the importance of taking person centered perspective to study the complexity of peer contextual phenomenon.