Comparative study of school caste in Japan and Indonesia 2: unraveling occurrence triggers and influencing factors

This study examines the formation of school caste, or informal peer hierarchies, in Indonesian schools. Using anonymous questionnaire data, correlation and logistic regression analyses were conducted and compared with findings from Japan. The results revealed three characteristics: (1) clear hierarchical classification among peer groups; (2) a stronger tendency toward hierarchical structuring among female students; and (3) a more pronounced manifestation of school caste in senior high school than in middle school. Unlike Japan, where peer hierarchies become institutionalized relatively early, Indonesian peer dynamics are marked by high boundary permeability and social intimacy, delaying the consolidation of hierarchical recognition until later educational stages. Although the term school caste is not widely used in Indonesia, similar structural mechanisms were identified. By clarifying these “double-edged” peer structures, which involve both risks of exclusion and opportunities for social development, this study provides a foundation for structure-aware approaches to communication-based bullying in Indonesian secondary education.