SOCIOMETRY

INTRODUCTION

Sociometry is a quantitative method for

measuring social relationships and is based on
the fact that people make choices in
interpersonal relationships.
 MEANING

The word sociometry came from the

Latin “socius,” meaning social i.e.
"partner", "friend", "companion" and
the Latin “metrum,” meaning measure.
 DEFINITION

• Oxford Dictionary defines sociometry as “the

study of relationships within a group of
people”.
• Jacob Moreno (1887-1974)defined
sociometry as "the inquiry into the evolution
and organization of groups and the position of
individuals within them”.


Franz defines sociometry as “a method used

for the discovery and manipulation of social
configurations by measuring the attractions
and repulsions between individuals in a
group.”
 Sociometry is a way of measuring the degree of
relatedness among people.
 It is a methodology for tracking the energy
vectors of interpersonal relationships in a
group.
 NEED OF SOCIOMETRY

• Focusing on achieving business or

organizational targets
• Focusing on key contributors who create value -
- the informal leaders
• Knowing what is really going on -- enhancing
the informal relationship networks
• Focusing on culture – providing connections
The measurement of social interaction is
termed Sociometry.
 Sociometry is based on the fact that people make
choices in interpersonal relationships.
 Whenever people gather, they make choices--
where to sit or stand; choices about who is perceived
as friendly and who not, who is central to the group,
who is rejected, who is isolated.
 HISTORY OF SOCIOMETRY
 Jacob Levy Moreno coined the term Sociometry and
conducted the first long-range sociometric study from 1932-38
at the New York State Training School for Girls in Hudson,
New York.
 Many sociometric studies have been conducted since, by
Moreno and others, in settings including other schools, the
military, therapy groups, and business corporations.
 PURPOSE OF SOCIOMETRY

 The purpose of sociometry is to facilitate group task effectiveness

and satisfaction of participants by bringing about greater degrees of
mutuality amongst people and greater authenticity in relationships.

 Measurement of relatedness can be useful not only in the

assessment of behavior within groups, but also for interventions to
bring about positive change and for determining the extent of
change.
 Sociometry can be a powerful tool for reducing conflict and
improving communication because it allows the group to see itself
objectively and to analyze its own dynamics.
 It shows the patterns of how individuals associate with each
other when acting as a group toward a specified end or goal.
 TYPES OF SOCIOMETRY
 Sociometry has two main branches: Research sociometry, and
Applied sociometry.
 Research sociometry is action research with groups exploring
the socio-emotional networks of relationships using specified
criteria.
Example :
– Who in this group do you want to sit beside you at work?

– Who in the group do you go to for advice on a work problem?

– Who in the group do you see providing satisfying leadership

in the pending project?
Applied sociometrists utilize a range of methods
to assist people and groups review, expand and
develop their existing psycho-social networks of
relationships.

 Both fields of sociometry exist to produce

through their application, greater spontaneity and
creativity of both individuals and groups.
 USES OF SOCIOMETRY
 Sociometric measurements can be used to study the type of
interaction and factors affecting the interaction.
 It is also used to measure group characteristics- such as
cohesiveness, morale, bonding etc.
 It can also be used to measure individual characteristics
such as leadership, aggressiveness, liberalism and
conservatism.
 Any personality factor that is related to interpersonal
attraction can be measured sociometrically.
 Sociometry provides a bird‟s eye view of group structure
and at the same time indicates the degree of social attraction
possessed by members of the group
Sociometric Techniques

1. Sociogram

2. Sociometric Matrices

3. Guess-Who Technique

4. Social Distance Scale

 SOCIOGRAM

 One of Moreno's innovations in sociometry was the

development of the Sociogram.
 A sociogram is a graphic representation of social links that
a person has.
 It is a visual representation of the interpersonal
relationships within a group.
 Always start with a rough copy to plan the layout of a
sociogram so that it doesn‟t become too messy or confusing.
 Production of Sociogram, nevertheless is the first and a
very important step.
A sociogram can be drawn on the basis of many
different criteria: Social relations, channels of
influence, lines of communication etc.
 Those points on a sociogram who have many choices are
called Stars.
 Those with few or no choices are called isolates.
Individuals who choose each other are known to have made a
Mutual Choice.
 One-Way Choice refers to individuals who choose
someone but the choice is not reciprocated.
 Cliques are groups of three or more people within a larger
group who all choose each other (Mutual Choice).
 Sociograms are the charts or tools used to find the
Sociometry of a social space.
 SOCIOMETRY TEST :

• The basic technique in sociometry is the

sociometric test .This is a test under which
each member of a group is asked to choose
from all other members those whom he
prefers to associate in a specific situation .
• The situation must be real one to the group
under study .
• Eg. Group study
Requirements of sociometric test are:

• 1: The limits of the group should be indicated to the

subjects.
• 2.The number of choice allowed should be specific &
depend on the size of the group tested .
• 3. Each subject should be permitted to make his choices
and rejections privately without the presence of other
members in the group .
• 4.A specific criteria for choice should be used with
reference to the
• functional activity of group .
• 5.Different levels of preference should be designed for each
choice .
 USES

• It enables the teacher to get a

comprehensive picture of structure of social
relationship.
• It is a special method of obtaining the
information through oral question, written
response and analyzing the record in studying
the group
• It is technique where by each
•
 Cont…
• member is asked to state the kind of relationship
or to discover group structure and relation of any
one person to the group as a whole.
• It is useful in assigning committees for students.
• It help to organize class projects.
• This technique is simple
• to use and speedy in administration.
•
 Scoring sociometric choices

• *One method is to count the member of limits an

individual is chosen disregarding the order of choice
this is the most simple method .
• 2.Another method is to score the order of choice for: 3
points to first choice 2 to second and one point to third
choice.
• 3.Third plan is to use a rating scale each subject may be
asked to rate each one of the other members in a five
point scale 4,3,2,1,0 for 4 means “ would
• Like to work with him very much and 0 means “would
not want to work with him at all.
 PROCESS OF SOCIOMETRY

• A sociogram is an important tool for teachers. The

sociogram is the chart used to actually apply sociometric in
the classroom.
• Its value to teacher is in its potentiality for developing
greater understanding of group behaviour.
• This shows the positive nature of sociometry and once
the relationship is understood by the teacher, group work
can be better facillitated for greater learning to occur.
• The data for the sociogram may also be displayed as a
table or matrix of each person’s choices. Such a table is
called a sociomatrix.
•
 METHODS OF ANALYSIS OF
SOCIOMETRIC DATA
• There are 3 important methods of sociometric
analysis :
• 1.Sociometric matrix
• 2.Sociogram
• 3.Sociometric index
 SOCIOMETRIC MATRIX

• A matrix is a rectrangular array (arrangement ) of

numbers of other symbols , sociometric is a squre
or in x n matrix .
• Eg: A group of 6 members respond to a
sociometric questions with whom whould you
like to work on such & such projects during the
next 3 months ? choose any 3 individuals .The
responses made are choices of a member
• choose another ,non - choise is denoted by 0.
Eg: A group of 6 members respond to a sociometric questions
with whom whould you like to work on such & such projects
during the next 3 months ? choose any 3 individuals .The
responses made are choices of a member
choose another denoted by 1 number, ,non - choise is
denoted by 0.
A B C D E F

A 0 1 0 1 0 1

B 0 0 0 0 1 1

C 0 0 0 1 1 1

D 0 1 0 0 1 1

E 1 0 0 1 0 1

F 0 1 0 1 1 0

TOTAL 02 03 0 04 04 05
 SOCIOGRAM
Sociogram
• A sociogram is a graphic representation of social links

• It is a graph drawing that plots the structure of

interpersonal relations in a group situation
GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION
A MALE
B

FEMALE
F
E

C
MUTUAL
D
ONEWAY

STAR
The table can be read by rows (left to
right ) or in columns
• ADVANTAGES OF SOCIOMETRIC MATRIX:
• A. It is inclusive i.e relationship
• between every single pair is specifically
recorded .
• B. Joint relationship among paris are recorded
.
• C. Matrices may be combined and compared .
 SHORT COMINGS & LIMITATIONS
OF MATRIX:
• It is not suitable for a large group
• It is a poor graphic device .
• It is a poor tool for detecting mutual choices and other
aspects of group structure .

• LIMITATIONS
• Not necessarily stable relationship.
• Some members of the group may not reveal
their real relationships on account of some
fear or other considerations .
 Sociometric index:

• Sociometric choices or other relations are also

measured by indices .A large member of medics are
possible .
• Choice states index :
• CSA Σ𝐶𝐴
n-1
• (n-1)is used because one cannot choose oneself.
• Where CSA=Choice states of person A,
• ΣCA= sum of choices in common A,
• n- 1member individual in the group .
 CONT..
• Group cohesiveness index:
• GC = Σ(MC)
n(n-1)
2
• Where GC=group cohesiveness
• ΣMC=sum of mutual choices or pairs.
 Cont..

• n=the member of individual in the group.

• Group cohesiveness index: is the proportion of

mutual choices to the member of possible pans.
• Social intensity index =Σ acceptance+Σrejections
(n-1)
• Choise –rejection status :The member of choices
minis the member of rejections
 THE APPLICATION OF
SOCIOMETRY
KINDS OF QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED:

NAME/SURNAME: DATE: ../../….

-With which of your friend would you like to go on a trip?

-With which of your friend would you like to study and do

your homework together?

1st preferance: ………………………………………….

2nd preferance: …………………………………………
13rd preferance: ……………………………………….
 SOME CHARACTER TYPES
OBSERVED IN SOCIMETRY
 Leaders

 Isolated ones
 Rejected ones

 Groups in-pairs

 Cliques

 Relationships in-chain
 Some crucial points to be cared in
the application of Socimetry
 A good and clear explanation should be made to
express the aim of the technique before the
application
 A friendly and attentive classroom atmosphere
should be created.
 Class members should have known eachother since
about 6 months to get valid&reliable results
 It must be applied to the students who can read
and write
 Socimetry principles ought to be taken into account
during application
 Application should be repeated periodically to see if
there is any improvement or change.
 Results has to be kept as a secret and not to use for
other purposes.
SUMMARY
CONCLUSION