Relationship between Informal Status in the Classroom and Home Environment

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between informal status and home environment in Japanese classrooms. According to Hargreaves (1972), the resource is the basis of both liking (sociometric status) and power (social power status). When a classroom member possesses a resource he is able to acquire informal status (sociometric and social power status). In this way, resources have influence on informal status. A large number of studies have been made on informal status (for example, Tasaki 1976). There is one other thing that is important for informal status. This is influenced by home environment, too. But little attention has been given to the point. In order to examine this point, eight classrooms were surveyed. In this research, the following results were obtained: (1) There are resources in classroom, and they have direct effect on liking and power. (2) Home environment has direct effect on resources. (3) Home environment has direct and indirect effect on informal status.