Exit, cohesion, and consensus: social psychological moderators of consensus among adolescent peer groups

• DOI: 10.31235/osf.io/fzjh3_v1
• Publication Date: 2025-04-22T21:36:36Z
• Authors: Jacob C. Fisher
• Keywords: Cohesion (chemistry); Consensus conference; Consensus theory; Group cohesiveness

Virtually all social diffusion work relies on a common formal basis, whichpredicts that consensus will develop among connected population as theresult of diffusion. In spite the popularity modelsthat predict consensus, few empirical studies examine or aclustering attitudes, directly. Those do either focus thecoordinating role strict hierarchies, results onlineexperiments, and not consider how occurs groups in situ.This study uses longitudinal data adolescent networks to show howmeso-level structures, such informal peer groups, moderate theprocess formation. Using novel method for controlling forselection into group, I find centralized meaning groupswith clear leaders, have very low levels while cohesive peergroups, where more ties hold members grouptogether, high consensus. This finding is robust twodifferent measures cohesion suggests consensusoccurs through central leaders’ enforcement ofattitudes, but leaders limited ability enforce whenpeople can leave group easily.