Cooperative Learning and the Structure of Interracial Friendships

Several recent studies have shown that when black and white students work together in cooperative learning teams, they make more cross-race friendships than students in traditional classrooms. This study investigated the structure of new cross-race friendships caused by a cooperative learning intervention. The sample was 402 seventh and eighth grade students in 12 inner-city language arts classrooms. Classes were randomly assigned to cooperative team learning or control classes for a ten-week program. Results indicated that new cross-race friendships tended to be reciprocated rather than unreciprocated and that new cross-race friends were among the first six chosen on sociometric questionnaires rather than more distant choices. Further analysis showed that the treatment increased cross-race friendships equally for students of different sexes, races, and achievement levels. These results have implications for improving intergroup relations between naturally existing racial groups outside of the classroom.