Session Information
09 SES 06 B, Peer Relations, Classroom Interactions, and Individual Achievement and Motivations
Paper Session
Contribution
The classroom climate represents four dimensions; the physical context, individual and group characteristics, beliefs and values in classroom culture, and all relationships between individuals and groups (Tagiuri, 1968). The classroom climate includes all interpersonal relationships (Fraser, 1999). Specific individuals with the highest or lowest status positions are revealing essential information about relationships in their classrooms. The beliefs of individuals and school classes are known from results of a 40 item questionnaire (Holfve-Sabel, 2006).
Most essential in middle childhood is the desire to be included in peer-group activities (Lease, Musgrove, & Axelrod, 2002). Children with low acceptance by their peers have more limited opportunities to adapt socially, and this might also undermine their academic progress (Parker, & Asher, 1987). During adolescence the peer networks become more complex. The general social adjustment still gains from good quality relationships. By reflecting upon the relationship with their teachers, students’ knowledge in contacts with their peers develops further (Howes, Matheson & Hamilton, 1994).
The familiar and traditional 5 sociometric types are popular, rejected, neglected, controversial and average children (Coie, Dodge & Coppotelli, 1982). Almost all children have some friends who will nominate them with exception of highly rejected or neglected children. The typical characteristic in the neglected status group is low scores of social impact but with positive academic profiles (Wentzel & Asher, 1995). Also a rejected status group of children represents low scores in social domains. The latter were less preferred due to disruptiveness and/or aggression. In this paper a group called “lonely” is investigated, i.e. students without friends. This group may encompass both neglected and rejected children. Loneliness is a complex state where individuals can be victims of aggression and bullying from other children (Gasteiger Klicpera & Klicpera, 2003). In a preliminary report of the attitudes of lonely pupils they were shown to be heterogeneous as a group, representing a spectrum from very low attitudes to school, teacher and peers up to generally very high scorings compared to their classmates (Holfve-Sabel, 2010).
Teachers and children may have separate indicators in mind when they think about popularity. Behind popular nominations personal traits such as leadership, status, dominance and influence are found. Popular children are often appreciated by their teachers and still some of these popular students express more criticism of their teachers. Instead of being generally academically excellent these students are more competitive in their profiles (Babad, 2001). Thus, also popular students seem to have complex origins.
Both popular and rejected children have been shown stable over several years. The explanation is that peer interaction conserves and exaggerates the initial label (Zettergren (2007). Therefore long term effects may occur and effect future life.
The objective of the study was to investigate and compare the extreme categories popular and lonely students within separated classrooms and reflect upon consequences for classroom interaction.
Three aims are clarifying the purpose:
1) Investigate the profiles of attitudes among popular and lonely.
2) Demonstrate similarities and differences between these student categories.
3) Discuss the networks’ impact on classroom level.
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Babad, E. (2001). On the conception and measurement of popularity: more facts and some straight conclusions. Social Psychology of Education, 5, 3-29. Coie, J.D., Dodge, K.A., & Coppotelli, H. 1982. Dimensions and types of social status: a cross-age perspective. Developmental Psychology, 18, 557-570. Fraser, B.J. (1999). Using learning environment assessments to improve classroom and school climate. In H.J. Freiberg (Ed.), School Climate. London: Falmer Press. Gasteiger Klicpera, B. & Klicpera, C. (2003). Warum fühlen sich Schüler einsam? Einflussfaktoren der Einsamkeit im schulischen Kontext [Why children feel lonely at school? Influences of loneliness in the school context]. Praxis der Kinderpsychologie und Kinderpsychiatrie, 52, 1-16. Holfve-Sabel, M.-A. (2006). Attitudes towards Swedish comprehensive school. Comparisons over time and between classrooms in grade 6. (Thesis). Göteborg: Göteborg Studies in Educational Sciences 242. http://gupea.ub.gu.se/dspace/handle/2077/10035 Holfve-Sabel, M-A. (2010). Characteristics of students without reciprocal friendship during school work. Paper given at ECER, Helsinki. Aug 2010. http://bada.hb.se/handle/2320/4584 Howes, C., Matheson, C.C., & Hamilton, C.E. (1994). Maternal, teacher, and child-care history correlates of children´s relationships with peers. Child Development, 65, 264-273. Lease, A.M., Musgrove, K.T., & Axelrod, J.L. (2002). Dimensions of social status in preadolescent peer groups: Likability, perceived popularity, and social dominance. Social Development 11, 508-533. Parker, J.G., & Asher, S.R. (1987). Peer relations and later personal adjustment: are low-accepted children at risk? Psychological Bulletin, 102, 357-389. Tagiuri, R. (1968). The concept of organizational climate. In R. Tagiuri & G. Litwin (Eds.), Organizational climate. Explorations of a concept. Cambridge: Harward University Press. Wentzel, K.R. & Asher, S.R. (1995). The academic lives of neglected, rejected, popular, and controversial children. Child Development, 66, 754-763. Zettergren, P. (2007). Cluster analysis in sociometric research: a pattern-oriented approach to identifying temporally stable peer status groups of girls. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 27, 90-114.
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