Post on 12-Jan-2016
Learning Objectives Starter
Popularity & Rejection
• To know what popularity and rejection are
• To know what causes popularity and rejection
• To evaluate the causes of popularity and rejection
Who are the most and least popular people
in our year?
Can you describe their personalities?
Can you think of why they are or
are not popular?
Coie & Dodge (1983)
Carried out a sociometric study of primary-school-aged children.
Children were asked to identify who in the class they ‘liked most’ and who
they ‘liked least’
Coie & Dodge (1983)
From responses the researchers identified 5 types of children:
Popular, average, controversial, neglected and rejected.
Schaffer 1996
Berk (2003)
Identifies two types of rejected child:Rejected-aggressive & Rejected
withdrawn
Xie et al. 2006
Aimed to find out the characteristics that young people think result in
popularity.
Method
Semi structured interview about what makes children popular.
489 African-American students from high risk inner city neighbourhood who
were 6,9, and 12 years old took part
Results
Characteristics and behaviours identified as being important for
popularity changed with age
Age 6
Positive social behaviours were seen as important
Age 9 & 12
Appearance and self presentation were mentioned the most
Age 12
Deviant behaviour (aggression, bullying, substance abuse) were
mentioned the mostMore for boys than girls
Conclusion
Age differences identifiedFindings are similar to those of lower-risk samples and show that deviance does not have a powerful effect on
popularity
Evaluation
Lacks cultural diversityBiased
Use of interviews of children is not an effective method of research
Causes of Popularity and rejection
1. Attractiveness
Children prefer to be friends with those who are attractive
Vaughn & Langlois (1983)
Found a significant correlation between ratings of physical
attractiveness and popularity.They used a sociometric analysis with
59 preschool childrenMuch more significant correlation
between the two variables among the girls
2. Similarity
Children chose friends who are near or who are seen regularly.
Chose playmates from similar backgrounds, of the same sex and those who shared similar interests.
Rubin 1980
Refers to strong pressures to exclude the ‘deviant’ or different children
Kandel 1978
Carried out a longitudinal study of adolescent friendships from the start
to the end of the year.He identified 3 types of friendship
1. Maintained friendships
Existed at the start and end of the year
2. Dissolved friendships
Existed at the start, but not at the end of the year
Newly found friendships
Started up at some time during the year.
3. Internal working model
Relationships between child and mother figure sets a pattern for future
relationships
Hazan & Shaver 1987
Proposed 3 types of attachment (shown in Ainsworth’s Strange
situation) carried through to later relationships with other people.They linked it to later romantic
relationships
Adult relationship characteristics
Type Relationship
Secure No trouble getting close to othersHappy depending on othersComfortable if others are dependentNot worried about getting abandonedNot afraid someone will get too close
Anxious- avoidant Somewhat uncomfortable being close to othersDifficulty trusting othersDifficulty depending on othersNervous when anyone gets too closeFeels partners want to be too intimate
Anxious- ambiviant resistant Concerned partner will leave Disappointed other people will not get close enoughDesire for intense closeness frightens others awayAfraid others are not really committed
4. Personality Characteristics
Personality characteristics have been linked to Popularity and rejection
Dodge et al (1983)- Aim
Investigated playground behaviour to see whether there were behavioural
differences between popular and unpopular children
Dodge et al (1983)- Method
5 year olds observed in the playgroundIn a naturalistic observation
Researchers focused on pairs of children at play, watched to see how a
third child would approach
Dodge et al (1983)- Method
Behaviours such as time spent watching, types of verbal comments made and the style of approach were
recorded.
Dodge et al (1983)- Results
Popular and unpopular children differed significantly in their approaches to other children
Popular children
watched and waited, made group-oriented statements and were
gradually accepted.
Neglected children
Watched but shied away from attempting interaction.
Rejected children
Highly active and aggressive, disrupting play of the others, being
generally uncooperative and making critical comments.
Conclusion
The unpopular or rejected and neglected children relates to deficits in
social skills
5. Social Skills
Studies have shown that one reason for rejection by peers may be a child’s
poor social skills
Oden and Asher 1977
Set up a programme of social skills training for 8 to 9 year-old isolates.
Oden and Asher 1977
Coaching was given in :How to join inTurn-taking
SharingCommunication
Giving attention to othershelping
Results
Children were more out-going and more positive towards other people
They had improved social statusThey were no longer isolated
Exam Question
Briefly discuss two causes of popularity with and rejection by peers.
Refer to psychological research into children’s friendships in your answer
(4 marks)