Social Networks in Early Adolescence: Introduction to the Special Issue

Peer relations are increasingly important during early adolescence. Early adolescents spend considerable time among same-age others in school and during extracurricular activities. In these contexts, collective norms emerge, which guide behavior and determine how individuals can gain status and peer acceptance. Social networks shape young people’s attitudes, behavior, and identity development, while behavior and norms influence the dynamics of peer relations. The articles included in the special issue advance our understanding of the role of social networks in early adolescence by focusing on different types of peer relationships (friendship, bullying, collaboration choices in sports) associated with various outcomes (academic achievement and ambitions, aggression, prosocial behavior, self-judgment, social-emotional outcomes, and physical ability) and spanning diverse social contexts (US, UK, China, Germany, Hungary). This introduction to the special issue underscores the significance of social networks in early adolescence and highlights the unique contributions of the included studies.