Function Specialization and Sociometric Judgment

Function specialization, the concentration of activity in a given functional area, has for many years been considered a major part of the evidence of role differentiation in small groups. The present paper points out certain deficiencies in the original analyses in this area and analyzes some more recently collected data. The evidence does not provide much support for the argument that sociometric identification of a role player is reflected in his being the person with the highest concentration in the relevant role area. In particular, the social-emotional leader does not typically lead the group in the percent of acts produced in the social-emotional area.