Modified Peer Nomination Inventory

Abstract

The Modified Peer Nomination Inventory (MPNI) is a specialized sociometric measure developed as an adaptation of the original Peer Nomination Inventory (PNI). Its core function is the quantitative assessment of social dynamics and the quality of peer relationships within defined groups, such as classrooms or organizational teams. The MPNI is particularly focused on identifying and quantifying antagonistic behaviors, including bullying, peer aggression, and victimization.

By capturing collective peer perceptions, the scale provides critical data on an individual’s social standing (sociometric status), relational facets like trust and emotional support, and the frequency of both positive and negative interactions. The MPNI is recognized as an essential tool in developmental and educational psychology for screening individuals at risk of being victims or perpetrators of peer aggression, thereby supporting targeted social adjustment and intervention programs aimed at enhancing group cohesion.

Keywords

Modified Peer Nomination Inventory, MPNI, Peer Nomination, Sociometric Status, Peer Aggression, Peer Victimization, Social Adjustment, Developmental Psychology, Sociometric Assessment

Authors

David G. Perry, Steven J. Kusel, Laura C. Perry

Purpose

The primary purpose of the MPNI is to offer a robust, quantitative snapshot of the social structure and internal interaction patterns within a specific peer group. This assessment is founded on the psychological principle that successful adjustment and functioning hinge significantly upon an individual’s capacity to establish and maintain quality social bonds within their environment.

Beyond general assessment, the MPNI serves as a crucial diagnostic instrument for identifying specific social roles, notably distinguishing between victims and perpetrators of peer aggression. Furthermore, in applied psychological settings, the scale is utilized longitudinally to evaluate the efficacy of interventions, such as anti-bullying campaigns or social skills training, by measuring observable changes in peer relationship dynamics over time.

Construct

The MPNI is designed to measure psychological constructs related to Peer Relations and Social Competence. It empirically delineates two primary, distinct dimensions of social interaction: Aggression (perpetration) and Victimization (experience of harm). The underlying measurement methodology is peer nomination, which leverages the collective knowledge of the group to provide an ecologically valid view of an individual’s typical behavior and level of social acceptance.

The inventory explores specific behavioral indicators, including frequency of communication, social support received, levels of trust, and expressions of emotional support. By quantifying these elements, the MPNI generates a clear index of an individual’s sociometric status, enabling researchers to categorize peers as liked, disliked, aggressive, or withdrawn—all of which are vital markers of social adjustment, particularly within preadolescent populations, consistent with the foundational work underpinning the original PNI.

Validity

The validity of the MPNI is strongly supported by its foundation in the established methodology of the Peer Nomination Inventory (PNI) and general sociometric assessment techniques. The specific 1988 application by Perry, Kusel, and Perry, which focused on victims of peer aggression, demonstrated strong construct validity for the derived Victimization and Aggression subscales.

A key strength enhancing the measure’s validity is its reliance on peer reports rather than self-reports. Since peers are direct, consistent observers of the target behaviors (aggression and victimization) within the natural environment, this methodology inherently improves both the ecological validity and the concurrent validity of the assessment.

Reliability

While the source documentation does not explicitly detail specific internal consistency coefficients, such as Cronbach’s alpha, for the MPNI, sociometric instruments generally exhibit adequate to good test-retest reliability. This reliability is most robust in stable social contexts, such as classroom settings, where established social roles and behavioral patterns tend to remain consistent over short testing intervals.

The reliability of the MPNI is further supported by the clarity and behavioral specificity of its items. This design minimizes ambiguity in nominations, ensuring that peers are rating observable, consistent behaviors. Such clarity contributes significantly to high inter-rater reliability among classmates, a critical component for peer nomination measures.

Factor Analysis

The structure of the MPNI is based on empirical derivation and factor analytic principles applied to the item set, designed specifically to delineate factors related to negative social interactions. The instrument is clearly partitioned into two primary, non-overlapping scales:

• Victimization Scale: This component is engineered to measure the extent to which an individual is targeted by negative, hostile, or exclusionary peer behaviors.
• Aggression Scale: This component measures the degree to which an individual initiates or exhibits aggressive, hostile, or disruptive behaviors directed toward their peers.

The successful separation of these two factors is methodologically crucial, as it allows researchers and practitioners to independently quantify an individual’s role as a perpetrator versus their experience as a victim. This distinction is vital for accurate diagnosis and the subsequent planning of targeted psychological and educational interventions.

Instrument

Test Type: Sociometric Assessment, Peer Nomination

Format: Paper-and-pencil inventory administered concurrently to a defined group of peers (e.g., classmates, team members).

Language Available: English (Original research language)

Population Group: Children, adolescents, and potentially adults operating within defined, stable social structures (e.g., school classrooms, organizational teams).

Age Group: Preadolescent boys were the focus of the original PNI context; the MPNI is generally suitable for school-age children capable of reading and interpreting the behavioral descriptions provided.

Population Details: Utilized in educational and workplace settings where distinct and interacting peer groups exist, allowing for collective nomination.

Test Methodology: Respondents receive a list of same-sex peers within the group. They are instructed to mark the name of each classmate who fits the specific behavior described by the inventory item. Self-nomination is explicitly forbidden. The total number of nominations received for positive and negative behavioral items determines the individual’s specific sociometric and social status scores.

Keywords

Social relationships, Peer status, Bullying assessment, Team dynamics, Emotional support, Peer Aggression, Sociometry, Peer Victimization, Psychological assessment, Social Competence

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected]

Correspondence Address:

David G. Perry, PhD
Department of Psychology
Florida Atlantic University
228 Behavioral Science
Boca Raton, FL 33431
Tel: 561-297-3364

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The specific research application of the Modified Peer Nomination Inventory (MPNI) that focused on peer aggression was published in 1988. Copyright for this 1988 application is managed by the American Psychological Association (APA). The conceptual foundation, the original Peer Nomination Inventory (PNI), was copyrighted in 1961 by Southern Universities Press. Researchers and practitioners must seek permission for use from the respective current copyright holders or the scale developers.

The instrument, including the complete item list and scoring guidelines, is publicly accessible within the CDC publication titled, “Measuring Bullying Victimization, Perpetration, and Bystander Experiences: A Compendium of Assessment Tools.” The original PDF can be downloaded here: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/bullycompendiumbk-a.pdf

Reference’s

Perry, D. G., Kusel, S. J., & Perry, L. C. (1988). Victims of peer aggression. Developmental Psychology, 24, 807–814.

Wiggins, J. S., & Winder, C. L. (1961). The Peer Nomination Inventory: An empirically derived sociometric measure of adjustment in preadolescent boys. Psychological Reports, 9, 643–677. (Monogr. Suppl. 5-V9).

Items of the Modified Peer Nomination Inventory

Victimization scale: Items 3, 6, 10, 15, 20, 22, and 25

Aggression scale: Items 5, 8, 12, 13, 16, 18, and 24

1. S/He’s always losing things.
2. S/He’s a fast runner.
3. Kids make fun of her/him.
4. S/He is the kind of kid I like.
5. When s/he doesn’t get her/his way s/he gets real mad.
6. S/He gets beat up.
7. S/He has lots of friends.
8. S/He’s just plain mean.
9. S/He shares her/his things with others.
10. S/He gets called names by other kids.
11. S/He’s a real smart kid.
12. S/He makes fun of people.
13. S/He says s/he can beat everybody up.
14. S/He’s a good looking kid.
15. Kids do mean things to her/him.
16. S/He tries to get other people in trouble.
17. S/He’s a good friend of mine.
18. S/He hits and pushes others around.
19. S/He likes to help the teacher.
20. S/He gets picked on by other kids
21. S/He’s good at sports.
22. S/He gets hit and pushed by other kids.
23. All the kids like her/him.
24. S/He tries to pick fights with people.
25. Kids try to hurt her/his feelings.
26. S/He’s a real nice kid.