PhD Oral Exam - Lisa Astrologo, Psychology

When studying for a doctoral degree (PhD), candidates submit a thesis that provides a critical review of the current state of knowledge of the thesis subject as well as the student’s own contributions to the subject. The distinguishing criterion of doctoral graduate research is a significant and original contribution to knowledge.

Once accepted, the candidate presents the thesis orally. This oral exam is open to the public.

Abstract

Belonging and connectedness are fundamental motivators in creating meaningful relations with peers. Moreover, in early adolescence, social standing within peer relationships becomes a priority, above and beyond other developmental milestones (e.g., romantic relationships). Social standing can be conceptualized by both acceptance (i.e., a measure of how well-liked an individual is within their peer group) and popularity (i.e., a measure of social prestige, social power, and/or social visibility). Although interrelated, acceptance and popularity are different constructs. The aim of this dissertation was to investigate the methodological considerations that could enhance our assessment and understanding of social constructs in pre- adolescent peer groups in two cross-cultural longitudinal studies. Self-report and sociometric data collected among fifth and sixth grade students from Canada and Colombia. The findings from Study 1 provide empirical support for the utilization of the burst design methodology in a pre-adolescent sample to yield a more stable and reliable measure of acceptance in comparison to a single data-wave collection while utilizing sociometric assessments. The second study emphasized popularity as a social construct in pre-adolescence. This was done by examining how antisocial (i.e., physical and relational aggression) and prosocial (i.e., proactive and reactive help, care, justice, and academic competence) behaviours at the level of the individual predicted popularity in addition to studying how these associations vary as a function of normative and cultural characteristics of the peer group. Findings from Study 2 emphasized the utility of a multi-level framework for assessing status within a peer group context while also highlighting the importance of considering both cultural and normative peer group contexts when examining social constructs. These studies highlight important methodological considerations in both data collection and data analysis that researchers should consider when studying social constructs in pre-adolescent peer groups.