Prosocial, aggressive, or both? A multilevel latent profile analysis of peer status and social behavior in early adolescence

TL;DR

This study explores how different social behaviors in early adolescence, such as bullying and prosocial actions, influence peer status and how these patterns vary across classrooms.

Contribution

The study introduces a multilevel approach to identify distinct social behavior profiles and their alignment with classroom-level social norms.

Findings

Five distinct adolescent social behavior profiles were identified, including bistrategic individuals who combine aggression and prosocial actions.

Classroom-level profiles showed differences in the prevalence of specific student behavior types.

Bystander behavior and social status goals varied significantly across the identified profiles.

Abstract

Adolescence is crucial for shaping social behavior, with peers influencing popularity and likability. While some adolescents use bullying to gain popularity, prosocial behavior often underlies likability. Yet, little is known about bistrategic control, where youth combine aggression and prosocial actions. This study used a multilevel person‐centered approach to identify latent profiles based on peer‐reported bullying, prosocial behavior, popularity, and likability, examined differences in bystander behavior, social status goals, and insecurity, and further explored how these individual‐level profiles differ across classrooms and align with classroom‐level bullying and prosocial social status norms. Data from 6379 Slovenian adolescents in 328 classes revealed five profiles: Unpopular bullies, Popular bullies, Bistrategic, Prosocial, and Uninvolved. At the classroom level, two distinct profiles emerged, differing in the prevalence of Uninvolved, Prosocial, Bistrategic, and Popular bully students.

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