Reading Groups as Psychological Groups

Six classes of first-grade children were given a sociometric question asking them with which classmates they would prefer to work. The children were classified by their reading groups, and their in-group and out-group choices were analyzed. Each class was naturally trichotomized into three reading groups; top, middle, and lower. The reading groups were the only enduring groups of the classes. It was found that the lower reading group members chose fewer than expected children from their own groups (p < . 025) and more than expected children from the top reading groups (p < . 001). Members of the middle reading groups made fewer than expected choices from the lower reading groups (p < . 01) and more than expected choices from the top reading groups (p < . 001). The top reading group members made fewer than expected choices from the lower reading groups (p < . 001), f ewer than expected choices from the middle reading groups (p < . 06), and chose within their own groups more than expected (p < . 001). The results were discussed in terms of group cohesiveness and possible group effects upon learning.