sociometric subtypes

[Ann Hale]

Henry J. Meyer, esteemed sociologist from University of Michigan back in the '40s and '50s identified sociometry as having three aspects:
(1) an orientation to life; (2) a theory of society; and (3) a research instrument.
Helen Hall Jennings, Moreno's main writing collaborator at the Hudson school for Girls, where sociometry was first being applied,  identified two kinds of role groupings for investigation: (1) sociotelic - the more public and work related roles where choices were made based primarily on skill or even position; and (2) psychetelic - roles we identify as more personal with choices being made based on attributes such as trust, etc.

I identify three main categories for sociometry as applied to group settings as: (1) group building and strengthening, exploring nearness and distance, group history, and norms; (2) consciousness-raising about the impact of one individual's (my) choices on the whole of the group and the overall perceptual field active within the group; and (3)  taking what we discover about the sociometric structure of our group and making changes in order that the structures we have in place reflect openness to inclusion, role accessibility, role relief, and increased spontaneity.

Moreno's hypothesis was that the more the external structure of a group embraced, even resembled the interpersonal sociometric structure, the greater the cohesion.  I believe this is true of certain groups and not true of all groups.

Ann Hale
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