SEX AND RACE HOMOGENEITY IN NATURALLY-OCCURRING GROUPS

We generate a number of hypotheses about face-to-face groups using the energy distribution principle: the frequency of an event is inversely related to the amount of energy expended in that event. The principle predicts that (1) the size of groups will be inversely related to the frequency of their occurrence; (2) at any group size, the composition of social positions will be less heterogeneous than chance; and, (3) as group size increases, observed compositional homogeneity will decli ne at a slower rate than chance. We test these hypotheses using data o n more than 100,000 naturally occurring, public, face-to-face groups g athered in sampling sweeps through two communities over a three-year p eriod. The data support the hypotheses and yield interesting differenc es in the strength of sex and race heterogeneity. We discuss the findi ngs as they relate to the general energy distribution principle and to other sociological perspectives.