Social acceptance of high school students in classroom and on Facebook

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between social acceptance in classroom and social acceptance on Facebook. In this study social acceptance was operationalized as social preference and as sociometric status. First, we examined whether intensity of Facebook usage, time spent on Facebook, and social preference in classroom predict social preference on Facebook. Second, we examined the relationship between sociometric status in classroom and sociometric status on Facebook. We used Facebook intensity scale (FBI) and two versions of sociometric test (with regard to peer relations in the classroom and on Facebook). The participants were 188 high school students, 117 females (57.4%) and 71 males (34.8%), between 16 and 19 years of age. The results have shown that social preference in classroom significantly predicts social preference on Facebook and that there is a positive moderate correlation between sociometric status in classroom and sociometric status on Facebook. These results are important for implementation of preventive strategies for students, who are rejected and are victims of bullying.

Keywords

• social acceptance
• classrooms
• Facebook
• high school students
• sociometric status