Predictors of Romantic Partner Nomination Reciprocity in Adolescent Social Networks

Network data uniquely allow relationships to be multiply reported, creating varying rates of relationship nomination reciprocation. However, what drives such variation is unclear. Variation in reciprocation may reflect substantive information about relationships (e.g., social salience or desirability) or study design (e.g., question wording or capped nominations). We examine predictors of nomination reciprocity in romantic network data from the PROSPER study to analyze individual and dyadic predictors of nomination reciprocity. Results show higher grades predict higher reciprocity, while same-sex relationships and behaviorally discordant dyads are less likely to be reciprocal.