Characteristics and Consequences of Having a Political Reputation in Class

Abstract

The study examined the individual characteristics and consequences of psychological group processes that may lead some students to gain a reputation for being politically knowledgeable and verbal in class (a political reputation). Two normal samples of Swedish students were used, 13-year-olds (N = 835) and 16-year-olds (N = 795). Longitudinal data over one year were analyzed and showed that youths' political reputation in class is established very early. Cross-sectional predictions showed that political interest predicted political reputation in class positively, and social fear predicted political reputation negatively in both cohorts. In addition, having a political reputation predicted increased political interest and political efficacy over one year. Further, mediation analyses showed that youths' political predispositions, their political interest and political efficacy at T1, significantly operated on interest and efficacy at T2 via the political reputation. This suggests that political reputation partly functions as a booster of youths' initial political predispositions over time. Future research is needed into the long-term consequences of having a political reputation.

The Political Reputation of Students in Upper Secondary School: Consequences for Their Collective Political Activities Four Years Later

“…This study focuses on the psychological group processes in normal classrooms that lead some students to gain a reputation as politically knowledgeable and verbal in class. In the earlier study by Stattin and colleagues (2021), political reputation in class was not predicted by students' perceptions that teachers encouraged attendance to sociopolitical topics or the students' receptiveness to teachers' sociopolitical communications. This suggests that the group dynamics that contribute to a social reputation as politically knowledgeable and verbal may operate rather independently of the ways that schools conduct civic education (cf.…”

“…These findings agree well with other studies that have used peer nominations and found that classmates' nominations of characteristics like aggression, shyness, leadership, achievement orientation, peer victimization, and immaturity show 1‐ or 2‐year stabilities of over .50 even by age 9 or 10 (Aleva et al, 2017; Bukowski & Newcomb, 1984; Liu et al, 2014). In Stattin and colleagues' study (2021), predictions over 1 year revealed that political reputation in class positively predicted the adolescents' political interest and internal political efficacy in both cohorts. Apparently, the group dynamics in classes whereby some students obtain a political reputation seem to have at least short‐term consequences for these students.…”

“…This study is a follow up to the original study by Stattin et al (2021) and poses the following question: How do students' political reputations in class affect their political participation long term? Political activities that took place when the participants were in upper secondary school, at the age of 16, will be followed up with the same measures 4 years later, which was also a national election year.…”

“…First, Stattin and colleagues' (2021) study showed that the association between political reputation and political interest was modest. The reported correlations were in the .30 range for both the 13‐ and the 16‐year‐olds.…”

“…To date, only one empirical study has examined students' political reputation. Stattin et al (2021) made use of peer nominations among 13‐ and 16‐year‐old students and asked them who in their class kept track of what was going on in the world and often started discussions about societal issues. Analyses showed that political reputation in class was highly stable over 1 year in both cohorts, with temporal stabilities over 1 year of .75 in the younger cohort and .82 in the older.…”