Attitudes and behaviors spread among people, yet within-school segregation—where students form groups—may shape the diffusion of behaviors in ways that are not well understood. By integrating network science with group-based theories, I aim to explain how segregation affects the spread of behaviors such as prejudice. While network science models behavioral diffusion through interpersonal ties, group-based theories reveal how segregation triggers psychological processes that allow groups to influence each other. Challenging the view of segregation as solely negative, this project explores how understanding its mechanisms can enhance school interventions. Using methods like longitudinal social network analysis (SAOM) in combination with social computational methods (ABM), I will analyze secondary and newly collected data. I will conduct interventions as a critical test of a newly developed theory. This project aims to advance theories of social influence, improve interventions, and provide new insights into how segregation shapes the diffusion of attitudes and behaviors in schools.

Sustainable Development Goals

Masaryk University is committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to improve the conditions and quality of life on our planet by 2030.