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withdrawn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)