Peer homophily in educational settings

Peer networks in schools and universities are often characterised by homophily; that is, people who are similar in attributes or behaviours are more likely to be connected. Much research documents students' inclination to affiliate with others similar in terms of social group memberships like gender and ethnicity or other attributes, including motivation, activities, interests, and achievement. This chapter aims to give an informative and concise overview of the different approaches that researchers have been developing to determine the degree of homophily, and that can be applied in a given educational context (for example, classrooms, seminars). We will start with an overview of the phenomenon of homophily, outlining theoretical anchoring, causes, and implications, briefly sketching the historical development of the homophily concept. We then describe the assumptions and mechanics of several indices of homophily. We will also juxtapose the strengths and weaknesses of different indices. We end the chapter with a discussion of potential advancements in the assessment of homophily and the importance of this for understanding and shaping interactions in increasingly diversified educational settings.