2-DIMENSIONAL SOCIOMETRIC STATUS DETERMINATION WITH RATING-SCALES

Sociometric status is derived from a concatenation of judgments at the individual level. In previous articles, the authors argued that score attribution at this level (where one group member assesses another) i s one-dimensional along the sympathy <----> antipathy continuum. Two-d imensionality of sociometric statics arises at the group level. It was shown that al this level too, sympathy and antipathy are not two dist inct dimensions but the poles of just one, tile other being visibility (or impact). If one accepts the model of one-dimensional score attrib ution at the individual level, it would seem logical to base sociometr ic status determination on rating scales. In this article, a procedure for this is developed and a covering computer program (SSRAT) is intr oduced. Finally, the results of the current nomination methods and the proposed rating method applied in the same classroom groups are compa red The results of the rating method appear to be more valid and more refined.