Visualizing Self-segregation among African American and Hispanic Students in Los Angeles, California, USA

Abstract

This analysis asks if the size of friendship-based ego networks can be used to identify a propensity to self-segregate. This infers that self-segregation is dependent on an individual’s ability to establish friendships, which in part reflects an individual’s social skills, such as the ability to negotiate the alternative world views of other ethnic groups and thereby minimize misunderstandings. The results show that students who are unable to negotiate alternative world views, as determined by the size of their friendship ego network, are highly likely to self-segregate.