The co-evolution of career aspirations and peer relationships in psychology bachelor students: A longitudinal social network study

In the preparatory career stage of university, career aspirations are formed, stabilized, or changed. This aspect of career development interrelates to students' relationships to peers who are supportive in advancing their careers. Peer relations are driven by social similarity attraction, such that students affiliate with peers who have similar career interests (selection) and socialize each other, becoming more similar in the process (influence). The goal of this study is to examine how developmental peer relationships between peers and their career aspirations co-evolve during undergraduate studies using longitudinal actor-oriented social network analysis. Against expectations, results revealed evidence for selection, but not for influence.