Final answer:
Media portrayal is not a factor influencing the segregation of adolescent cliques by race; cultural influences, social identity theory, and economic factors are more significant. Family is the earliest agent of socialization, with political opinions mainly shaped within the family setting.
Step-by-step explanation:
By middle to late adolescence, cliques are often segregated by race. A possible explanation that is not a factor in this phenomenon is media portrayal. Cultural influences, social identity theory, and economic factors do play significant roles. Cultural influences include traditions, beliefs, and values that are shared within racial or ethnic groups. Social identity theory explains how individuals categorize themselves and others into groups, with a tendency to favor their own group. Economic factors may lead to segregation as a result of socioeconomic status differences and the neighborhoods in which different racial groups live.
The phenomenon of racial segregation in cliques can also be examined from various sociological perspectives. For example, the family is typically the earliest agent of socialization, influencing racial and ethnic identity, as well as political opinions, which are mainly shaped by the family. Meanwhile, media is an example of a powerful socialization agent but not typically associated with creating racial segregation within adolescent cliques. The separation of students by merit, known as tracking, is yet another school-related process, but it does not inherently explain racial segregation in social groupings.