Thesis:

Study of students' experiences of social interactions at school and its effect on learning of male students in the second year of elementary school in Sabzevar city in the academic year ۱۴۰۴-۱۴۰۵

The present study aimed to explore and explain the lived experiences of male elementary school students in the second stage of primary education in Sabzevar regarding social interactions at school and to understand how these experiences affect their learning process. The study was applied in terms of purpose and employed a qualitative approach using inductive thematic analysis. The participants consisted of 25 male students in grades four, five, and six from primary schools in Sabzevar during the 2025–2026 academic year, who were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed after verbatim transcription through six stages: familiarization with the data, initial coding, development of categories, identification and naming of themes, review and refinement of themes, and final interpretation. The findings resulted in six main themes: social rejection and isolation and the erosion of concentration; ridicule, labeling, and verbal silence in the classroom; friendship and peer support as a foundation for learning; group acceptance, role-taking, and social status as sources of motivation; the teacher as a source of security or threat; and students’ self-explanation of the relationship between their social state and learning. The findings indicated that social interactions were not merely peripheral contextual factors in students’ learning experiences; rather, they influenced learning through three interconnected pathways: attention, access to interpersonal learning resources, and meaning and sense of worth. Social rejection, ridicule, and interpersonal conflict were associated with mental preoccupation, reduced concentration, and lower classroom participation, whereas peer support, group acceptance, meaningful role-taking, and supportive teacher interactions enhanced students’ sense of belonging, motivation, and access to learning opportunities. Moreover, students explicitly perceived and explained the relationship between their daily social experiences and their concentration, understanding of academic content, and academic performance. Therefore, attention to the quality of social relationships and the active role of teachers in managing and restructuring peer interactions can be considered important prerequisites for improving learning among students in the second stage of primary education.

Keywords: Social interactions, lived experiences, learning, male students, second-stage primary education, the