Sociometry

Introduction

The Sociometry comes from latin word “socius” means social,and “metrum”
means measure. Sociometry is a study to measuring the degree of relatedness
among people. Measurement of relatedness is useful in the assessment of
behaviour within groups and also for intervention to bring about positive change
and for determining the extend of change.

Sociometry is a technique for evaluating the behaviour and interaction of

children or a person in a group.it is the study of group behaviour and
leadership.jacob levy moreno coined the termsociometry and conducted the first
long –range sociometric study from at the new york. In state training school for
girls in hudson,new york. He developed the sociometric technique by using
sociogram.

Sociometry is quantitative method for measuring social relationship.it can

be a powerful tol for reducing conflict and improving communication because it
allows the group to see it self objectively and to analyse its own dynamic.it is a
powerful tol for assessing dynamics and development in groups to therapy or
training. Sociometry is expanded into the fields such as psychology, sociology,
anthropology, education.

Definition

Moreno defined sociometry as”the mathematical study of psychological properties

of population s,the experimental technique of and the results obtained by
application of quantitative methods.” Sociometry is based on the fact that people
make choices in interpersonal relationships.

Sociometry is a methodology for tracking the energy vectors for interpersonal

relationships in a group. It shows the patterns of how individual associate with
each other when acting as a group toward a goal.

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Sociometric criteria:

Choices are always made on some basis or criterian.

 It may be subjective, such as feeling of liking or disliking a person on first

impression.

 It may be more objective and conscious, such as knowing that a person does
or does not have certain skills needed for the group task.

Sociogram:

 When a member of a group are asked to choose others in the group based on
a specific criteria, every one in the group can make choices and describe
why the choice were made. From these choices a description emerges of the
networks inside the group. A drawing, like a map, of those networks is
called a sociogram.

Sociometrix:

 The data for the sociogram displayed as a table or metrix of each person’s
choices. Such a table called a sociomatrix.

Uses:

a) It enables the teacher to get a comprehensive picture of the structure of

social relationship in the entire class by means of certain instruments and
methods of interpreting applying the results obtained.

b) It is special method of obtaining the information through oral questions,

written responses and analyzing the records in studying the group.

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 c) It is the technique where by each member is asked to state the kind of
relationships, which he hold towards other members. These responses have
been recorded graphically and represented in sociogram.

d) To know the sociometric status, his relationship with other members in a

group, perception of other members etc.

e) To determine the degree to which individuals are accepted or rejected in a

group and group structure, sub division of the group/based on sex, age, cast,
family, profession, cultural affinity etc.

f) To determine group positions (popular stars, leaders, isolates, rejects etc)

and so on.

g) Its value to the teacher is in its potentiality for developing greater

understanding of group behavior. So that he may operate more wisely in
group management and curriculum.

Advantages:

Technique is simple in use.

Speedy in administration.
It is help for the curricular and co-curricular activities information of groups.
Choosing companions ,parteners for specific activities or
occasions can be drawn in sociometry.

Example;
We want to know how much interpersonal trust exist within a small group
of six members.
Lets call the group members Anee, Bobi, Claire, deny, Edni and Frady.
For this example use the following criteria. “I trust this person to keep oral
agreement and commitments and not to undercut me or go behind my back.”
the symbols: to indicate
-high trust-“+”

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 -moderate trust-“0”
-distrust/conflict-“-”
Next interview each group member individually. Explain that all responses
will be kept confidential, and then ask the person about interviewing to rate
every other person in the group , based on the criteria.
First interviewing anne,anne rates the others as follows:
-bobi - +
-claire - -
-deny - 0
-edni - +
-frady - 0

This means that anne has high trust of bobi,distrust or is in conflict with
Claire , has moderate trust of deny, and so on.

In the course of the interviews it can elicit details about all of these
relationship and also ask anne e.g. why she distrust Claire, and anne’s ideas
about Claire could do to improve the situation.

After conducting al the interview and obtaining rating from everyone,the

next step is to chart all the responses in the sociometrix.

Sociometrix for above sample group.

Anne Bobi claire deny edny Frady

Anne + - 0 + 0
Bobi 0 - + + 0
Claire - 0 + + +
Deny 0 + - 0 0
Edny + + 0 + 0
Frady + + 0 0 +
Total + 2 4 3 4 1

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 Here anne’s choices have been charted in anne’s row: anne’s high trust
rating (+) of bobi, for Claire (-) distrust/conflict rating etc.
This metrix already tells us a great deal about the group dynamics with a
little analysis the metrix becomes something like x-ray of the groups
interpersonal relationships.

--columns showing a large percentage of + can identify the informal leaders

of the group.
--columns showing – can identify those people the group may be close to
rejecting.
-- rows showing all 0 or + may highlights people who fear self-disclosure or
people who are undifferentiated in social relationships.

Sociogram : as per above sample group.

a / b d

_
f c e
_

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 Key:
High trust(+)
Mutual high trust
Moderate trust(o)
Mutual moderate trust
Distrust or conflict(-) no line