A Longitudinal Study of Sex Homophily and its Changes in a Public Organization

Abstract

Homophily is “the principle that a contact between similar people occurs at a higher rate than among dissimilar people” (McPherson et al. 2001, p. 416). Using a social network perspective, this study examines the differences in sex homophily, the tendency to form their interpersonal network with those from the same sex (men to men, women to women), and their longitudinal changes in an organization. Using social network data collected longitudinally in an organization with a large infusion of newcomers, this study found that polarization of sex homophily occurs over time as men’s homophily increases while that of women’s decreases. Homophilous ties generally last longer in both men’s and women’s networks. In women’s network, their ties with other women were more likely to survive in women’s informal network, whereas they were more likely to perish in women’s formal network. The results imply that women’s patterns of interaction may change as they seek the resources and support they need during their organizational entry, while homophily among men begins soon after their organizational entry. The findings also suggest that the patterns of sex homophily in a network may be greatly determined by who controls resources in the network. Therefore, the changes that occur in women’s sex homophily patterns may raise another barrier to women’s career development and success.