Dynamic friendship processes related to learning interest: Moderating by class-level social-emotional competency

Learning interest is an intrinsic motivation that dynamically interacts with friendships. Students alter their learning interests to assimilate with their friends and actively establish friendships on the basis of similar interests. These processes do not operate in isolation but rather in the broader peer context. Class-level social-emotional competency (SEC) is a contextual characteristic that influences students' social and learning processes.

This study used reading and mathematics as examples to examine the moderating role of class-level SEC in the friendship influence process on learning interest and the friendship selection process based on learning interest.

A total of 2252 students (48.7% female) were surveyed in grades 4 and 6.

The friendship influence effect on reading/mathematics interest and the reading/mathematics interest-based selection effect were estimated with stochastic actor-based models. Parameter differences were tested between the low- and high-SEC classes.

The friendship processes related to learning interest were strengthened in high-SEC classes. Students in high-SEC classes chose friends according to having similar reading/mathematics interests, and their reading/mathematics interests tended to assimilate with those of their friends over time. However, students in low-SEC classes chose friends more randomly, and the friendship influence effects were much weaker.

In reading and mathematics, friendship selection and influence processes contribute to similarities in learning interests among friends. Increasing students' early learning interests is important for constructing a virtuous circle of friendship establishment and learning interest development. This mutual promotion relationship can be reinforced by improving class-level SEC.