Sociogram

A sociogram is a graphic representation of the relationships in a group, such as in a classroom or in a company. This method was developed by Jacob Levy Moreno. Based on data from a sociometric survey relationships are symbolized for example by different arrows in the illustration.

Rudolf Lochner, which is considered to (co- ) founder of the " descriptive pedagogy" in Germany, was the first to introduce the notion of sociogram in the scientific jargon and 1927 a " sociogram of the elementary school " presented. In psychology, it was at that time a flood of psychograms ( feature lists, tables of description points, questionnaire, observation schemes ) come. This was " obviously excitation and methodological role model " for his description scheme, Lochner itself speaks of a " full Sociogram the student observation ". The term sociogram may, however, be applied to the sociogram of Lochner limited. Lochner's schema contains 167 points in a plethora of evidence for practical surveys and observations in class. The psychological profile of Lochner was intended as a basis for a systematic description of students. After Elbing he wanted to achieve in order to systematize a comprehensive scheme of points of view ( " sociological program " ) the description. It is not so much a matter of presenting the structure of a class graph. The scheme, but also the description of himself describes Lochner then as sociogram.

A common application is the analysis of the relationships between departments and individuals in a company to optimize workflows. As an action sociogram a group process can be referred to, make in the course of which members of the group through their acts, certain looking statements. For example, a corner of a room as a place for representing a negative, the corner diagonally opposite are defined to represent a positive statement. Now, if asked a question that can be answered with yes or no, the people go to the corresponding corner of the room or, in the case of indecision, between a location.

Case Study

The survey may for example take place in a school class in that each student answered questions such as: "In addition to whom you would like to sit? " and may nominate three classmates. If student A would like to sit next to Student B, points in the evaluation of an arrow from A to B.

The graph then gives a clear overview of the data collected. For example, outsiders instantly recognizable, as few or no arrows are directed at them. Conversely particularly popular student will immediately be recognized that many arrows are directed at them.

The publication of such data to those affected can be extremely problematic because existing outsiders may be pushed even more than before in this role and as it were objective evidence of this position may represent a considerable additional burden on them.

However, a teacher can draw from these data to draw important conclusions on the cohesion of a class and better engage long-term corrective action. From the sociogram results who and who acts in the group as an informal group leader as an outsider.