What Is Sociometry? Characteristics, Objectives And Methods
In different university courses, the subject of sociometry is studied, in one way or another. But, What exactly is this research method, what are its characteristics and what objectives does it pursue?
Sociometry is a quantitative (numerical) research method that is used in sociology, social psychology and related fields. It seeks to measure social relationships within a specific group, to evaluate both individual and general data.
Sociometry contributes to the application of quantitative measurement methods in certain groups and social structures, and helps us understand the capabilities, interactions and mental well-being both at the group level and at the level of each of its members.
This method was devised by psychologist and therapist Jacob Levy Moreno. Since its inception, sociometry has been a very valuable instrument when evaluating and measuring the interaction between components of different groups, for example in the academic, educational, work or sports fields.
The sociometric method uses several methodological resources belonging to the quantitative approach for example the questionnaire and the survey, which belong to the spectrum of sociometric test methodologies.
History of sociometry
Sociometry was born at the beginning of the 20th century in the United States, where Jacob Levy Moreno lived. This new conceptualization gave rise to the methods that would make sociometry a technique with the ability to study, diagnose and predict dynamics of group and social interaction, both in groups of few members and in social contexts of much more complexity and size.
The Viennese psychiatrist and student of Sigmund Freud had his first contact with sociometric study when he collaborated in the organization of a refugee colony in his country. Thus, knowing first-hand the different problems that arose in groups of people, Moreno tried to organize these groups and their members through sociometric planning.
Starting in 1925, Jacob Levy Moreno moved to New York and in that context developed a solid theoretical basis for his sociometric method. He tested his method on a large scale in the Sing-Sing prison, in the city where he resided This test would provide you with a much more detailed vision of the multiple variables that influence personal relationships between different groups within a specific physical context.
With the data collected and using his greater experience, he refined the method and developed a more polished version of sociograms, a visual form in the form of diagrams that allow the study of good or bad relationships between individuals in the context of a larger group.
From that moment on, Moreno would make his sociograms known among the American academic and scientific community. His methodology was valued very positively, and it became one of the most used and effective tools when initiating quantitative and psychosocial analyses.
Five years after his first draft, already in the 1930s, Jacob Levy Moreno would publish a work on interpersonal relationships that would finish cementing the foundations of sociometry. It is from that moment that the methodology created by Moreno experiences a boom and is applied in a multitude of contexts and projects. In fact, it even had its own specialized academic journal starting in 1936. In addition, the Institute of Sociometry was founded in New York, later renamed the Moreno Institute, in honor of Jacob Levy.
Sociometry pursues different objectives and has different uses. According to Jacob Levy Moreno himself, the main objectives of sociometry are the following:
1. Detect rejected people
One of the objectives of sociometry is to detect and classify those individuals who suffer greater rejection from the other members of the group Likewise, it also deals with the opposite cases: identifying and classifying those individuals most valued by the rest.
In this way, the aim is to work with the first ones to promote their social skills and strengthen their communication and relationships with the rest, while with the most valued ones their leadership capacity can be enhanced.
2. Detect isolated people
Another objective of sociometry is detect people who consider themselves isolated or isolated from the group How is this measured? They are individuals who do not generate influence, positive or negative, on the dynamics and relationships within the group.
3. Analyze group dynamics
Another opportunity that it offers us is being able to predict, after studying the dynamics of the group, how it will react and adapt to certain changes such as the inclusion of new individuals or the departure of others.
These three objectives can be found by sociometry in educational and professional contexts, which are the two groups most commonly analyzed using this technique.
How does the sociometric method work?
The sociometric method developed by Jacob Levy Moreno is commonly used in educational contexts It is used to have more data and elements of analysis on the level of interaction, sympathy/antipathy and cohesion between colleagues. It also serves to detect certain positive patterns, or disagreements, that may exist between several of these members, and how these dynamics influence the group.
The basic functions of sociometry are basically two: first, the identification of personal relationships within a group. It should be taken into account that sociometry rarely addresses the study of large groups, to ensure that the variables at play can be well identified. Once the behavioral patterns within the group are detected, the method is applied through the sociometric test.
The sociometric test is a questionnaire that must be completed by each member of the group that has been analyzed. It should be administered without compromising or pressuring participants. The test proposes different scenarios and gives the participant the freedom to choose which other members they would prefer to form a subgroup with, and their reasons. In this way, and through the responses of each member, it is possible to know first-hand the intragroup dynamics and the reasons why each participant has a greater or lesser appreciation for the other individuals.
Finally, the method is used to make forecasts That is, it can help preview the most appropriate and effective dynamics to resolve tensions between participants and stimulate good dynamics that have already been detected in the past.
