study of personality and social status

8/12/2019 Study of Personality and Social Status

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A Study of Personality and Social StatusAuthor(s): Theron Alexander and Marie AlexanderSource: Child Development, Vol. 23, No. 3 (Sep., 1952), pp. 207-213Published by: Wileyon behalf of the Society for Research in Child DevelopmentStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1126102.

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A STUDY OF PERSONALITYAND SOCIALSTATUSTHERON ALEXANDER

Departmentof Psychology,FloridaStateUniversityand

MARIE ALEXANDERCan we depend on social status to determine the criterion on which we

may base our objectives of adequate and desirable personal characteristics?In the past there has been considerable emphasis on adults' or teachers'evaluation, that is, the child's status with adults. Sometimes a teacher'scomment, He is well-liked by other children, suffices to cause us tooverlook the necessity of further study. We have discovered that a childmight have status with the adult, or parent, parent surrogate, or teacherand still not be making a satisfactory adjustment.We have found that adults tend to judge children's adjustment andwholesomeness of social status by adult standards and not always accordingto the child's needs (9, p.i). Can we, then, rely on children's judgment inevaluating social status as our criterion for basing our objectives in workingwith children? That is, are children's choices a valid basis for determininga child's developmental goals? Is it correct to assume that if a child ischosen often by children for their activities that such a child is meetingeffectively the problems of his development?We are in a better position to describe those aspects of an individual'smake-up which interfere with interaction with the environment than weare in describing our goals or desirable characteristics. This position, itseems, can be accounted for by the fact that adjustment to some degree in-volves adequate relationships to cultural demands. There is no generalagreement by clinicians, parents, educators, social workers, or religiousworkers on optimum personal adjustment. Some would have us encouragecertain characteristics of personality such as striving and competitiveness,while others would have us seek to avoid the development of such behavior.Some would encourage a child to express his hostility and other emotions,while others would not tolerate hostility and would allow few expressionsof emotionality. Thus, it can be seen that at the moment we cannot gen-erally agree on just what the optimum behavioral characteristics of a childshould be. On the other hand, we can probably reach a closer agreementon those characteristics which interfere with the effective solution to prob-CHILD DEVELOPMENT, Vol. 23, No. 3 (September, 1952)

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CHILD DEVELOPMENTlems of living and those which interferewith satisfying nterpersonal ela-tionships(8, p. 2o; Io).Thus, whatwe aretryingto do is to examinea child'sperceptionof him-self and his world and his approacheso solving problemsencounteredninteractionwith the environment.We wish to determine f he would beable to engage in effective goal-seekingbehaviortoward any objectiveswhich might be set by him or society.For example,this positionis similarto that takenby a clinician in a therapeutic ituationwhere it is said thatthe therapistmust work with the client to help him achievea realityofperceptions nd a freedom from interferencewith effectivereasoningproc-esses.What the client actuallydecidesto do about his particularproblemis left with the client. It seemslogicalas we furtherexploreand study thecause and effect of interferenceswith effectivegoal-seekingbehaviorthatwe will be betterable to approach valuativecriteriaof personaladjustmentand be able to set up well-definedgoals (I).Apparently he problemof describingoptimalpersonaladjustmentmustbe approachedhroughthe initial stepsof statingwhat we must avoid. Thepurposeof this reportis to make known some findings in regardto be-haviorcharacteristicsf a child mostchosen for an activityby the membersof his group. The questionwhich we seek to answer is: Does the factthat Joewas chosento participaten eachchild'sactivityby morechildrenthan any other memberin his group mean that he is capableof solvinghis problemsof living effectively?We shall not try to describe he charac-teristicswhich Joe should have for personaladjustment;we shall onlyseekto determinewhetheror not he is ableto work towardhis goalseffec-tively and solve his problemsof living.'

METHODOLOGYThe subjects for this study were twenty-seven children in the fourth

grade. There was an age range of nine years to ten years and three monthsand a mean age of nine years and one month. The group consisted of six-teen girls an eleven boys.1 This is a reporton researchcarried on under a grant from the Florida State Univer-sity Research Council and Departmentof Psychology. It was a cooperativeproject underthe direction of Theron Alexander. Those contributingto the researchwere Eugene Boyce,

principal of the Demonstration School; Mary Bostwick, teacher of the fourth grade;Samuel Granick,formerly a member of the departmentof psychology and Human Rela-tions Institute; Mary V. Alexander, department of physical education; Julia Schwartz,departmentof art education; Charlotte Larkin, art supervisorfor Leon County; Theo-dore Johannis,student and researchassistant in the departmentof home and family life;Mary Johannis,director of the nursery school; Eugene Byrd, Jane Srygley, Tom Long,Richard Berndt, Kathryn Aspinwall, Barbara Buechly, Curt Vogtritter, Zenia Davis,Wallace Kennedy, students in the department of psychology; and Alvina Birchard,student in the school of education. ProfessorM. F. Nimkoff made valuable suggestionsin preparationof the manuscript.208



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THERON ALEXANDER and MARIE ALEXANDERThe social status of the children was determined by a series of three socio-metric tests.2 The first test was a paper and pencil test consisting of one

question. As a preliminary to the study a research worker discussed with thechildren the plans for their activities.3 Putting on plays was the chosen ac-tivity. After the discussions the examiner gave the test question by askingeach child to write down his choice of persons to be in his own play. Thechildren were allowed to write as many choices as they wished. Four dayslater dramas were presented before the whole group at the rate of two perone-hour session. Two one-hour sessions were held each week. The subjectsindicated their choices to the examiner, then read the names, and then eachchild and the cast he chose went to one side of the room. Roles were as-signed by the director (the chooser) and his plans for the play were dis-cussed. The play was then given before the group. A week after completionof the series of dramas, the group was given the opportunity to make choicesagain for a play and wrote the names of the ones they wanted for their play.The rank order of the subjects was determined from the above testingsituations. Joe was found to be the most chosen child in all of the situations.

A STUDYOF JOE'sCHARACTERISTICSProcedure. The main source for the data discussed in this report is theThematic Apperception Test.4 The following cards from the TAT wereused: I, 3BM, 7GF, 8BM, I2BG, and I3B (6). Joe's stories about thesepictures follow:1. The boy in the pictureI think broke instrument.I think he is goingto take it to a store and fix it. And then he will be able to play again.3BM. The girl in the picture is crying like she had lost her little boy.

The end. (The examiner:Is there any more?) The little boy was in thewoods and had hurt his leg. His mother startedto pick some flowersandshe saw him and picked him up and carriedhim home.7GF. The girl in the picture looks like she had broken her doll andthen her mother started to read to her a sad story about a little doll. In2 In reality social status cannot be determined by children's choices in regard to oneactivity. Helen Jenningsand others have shown that children's choices vary as activitiesvary. We felt, however, that choice for participationin play activities was a valuablesample of a child's positive feelings toward other members of a group. In a descriptionof socialstatus,perhapswe are confrontedwith as complexa term as we are withpersonality. Apparentlyour value systems are present in the term social status. Forthis study we only know that Joe was most chosen consistentlyin three situations.3 Eugene Byrd, a graduate student in the department of psychology, gave the test.He has written a report entitled, A Study of Validity of Constancy of Choices in aSociometricTest, which has been acceptedfor publicationin Sociometry.4 Other tests and techniques for obtaining data were Rorschach,Stanford-Binet,im-aginary autobiography,observations,and family interview, puppet play, and others. Cer-tain children were given psychotherapeutic xperiences.

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CHILD DEVELOPMENTthe storyher mother old her that the doll in the storyhad got brokenlike her'sandherdaddy ixedit as soonas he could.

8BM.In thepicturet looks ike a littleboyanda littlegirl wasplay-ing with a gun and he accidently ulledthe triggerandit shotoff andhit the littlegirl in thearmand he did not knowit wasloadedandthedoctor ameas soonas he could.Andfixedherarm.12BG.In thepicture seenow a boat s on theshoreandit looks iketwo or threemenhad left it thereand wenthunting.13B. The littleboyin the pictureookslike he had brokenone of histoysand he is verysorryand he wanted t fixed.The little carhadbeenbrokenhis daddy ixedafterhe camebackfromchoppingwood.

An outline of the methodof analysisof the projectivedata follows:Organizationof Response:i. Use of stimuli (those presentedand thoseaddedby subject).2. Partsof the storyincluded;conditions,causation,and outcome.EmotionalBehavior:

i. Expressions f emotion(kinds of feeling).2. Acceptanceof emotionalbehavior:a. feeling betweenpeople.b. feeling about own emotionality.

PredominantConflictArea:i. Conflicttype (externalor internal).2. Solutionefforts(submittingor waiting,seekinghelp,or activeattack).3. Self-concept n problem solving (unsuccessful, indecisive, and suc-cessful).Joe'sview of his worldand himself. Joe views his worldas being com-posedof bothhostileandbeneficent orces.These forcesare little influencedby him. The hostile forces are viewed as impersonal-they just happen.However,he believes hatsomehowthey arerelated o him. He makes littleeffort to understand ausationof the events or situations n which he findshimself.The causes o him arereallyunaccountable.With someconsistencyhe sees that solution for problemsalso lies from without. Chronologicalaspectsof such aid are beyondhis influence.There is anxietyabout these

outsideforceswhichput him in situations romwhich he is unableto extri-catehimself.He sees himself as a personunable to cope successfullywith powerfulforces. He finds himself in difficultyand althoughhe is not able to deter-mine thecauseof the difficultyhe holdshimselfasconnectedwith the cause.It is as if he says, Theseimpersonal orcesgot me into this situationandonce I am here I am to blame. This has broughthim to a non-logicaleffort towardconformity.210



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THERON ALEXANDER and MARIE ALEXANDERHe dependson the same forces which have involved him in difficultyto extricatehim. This inabilityto cope with his world has had two effects

on Joe. One, he is afraidto recognizeor expressany feelingsof aggressionand hostilitytowardthe outside world.Therefore,hostilityhas been turnedinward.With this feelingof inability o copewith his world and the repres-sion of hostility,there has developeda pervasivefeeling of guilt (4, pp.87-88). Thus, the second effect is a masochisticpreoccupation-thingsarebroken.This preoccupationervesseveralends. First, if things are brokenand he was not responsible,an indirect outlet for aggression s provided.Second,a feelingof need forpunishment or his inadequacys servedby thefact that thingsarebroken.And third,a need for nurturance s fulfilledbythe fact that external orceswill in theirown good time removethe punish-ment and difficulty 2, p. 82).Joe and interpersonal elationships. In Joe'sinterpersonal elationshipsthere areno expressions f hostilityor animosity.He is docileand conformsto directions.He is seldomoriginalor creativebut dependson others forideas and falls into line with them. Whateverplay ideas are proposedandsuggested or him he will carryout. He is happiestwhen he is actingundercontroland directionsof others,becauseresponsibilityor his own actions

and the possibilityof the increaseof guilt arethen lessened.Althoughthereis docilityandlittlehostility, his doesnot mean there is warmth,sympathy,or affection.As can be seen from the descriptionof his views of his worldand himself,he does not see in it satisfyingrelationships.Any positiveac-tion on the partof others or external orces comesonly in associationwithtroubleand pain;succorancewhich he receives s viewedas being aimed atthe difficultyand not himself. That is, it is not his own value that bringsthe beneficent orces which solve the problembut it is the problemitself.Such an experience nvolvesno affectionand he does not experiencesuchfeelings in his interpersonal elationships.Joe'shigh numberof choices is based on his docility, conformity,andwillingnessto implementthe ideas and projectsof others. It is believedthat all humanbeingshave needs to dominateand to be aggressive 5, p.i).These are expressedin many differentways. Joe's relationshipwith hispeersis symbiotic n that he has acquired he need to be directedand evenpunished,and at the sametime he providesan outlet for the aggressionofothers n that it satisfieshim and the aggressor.While this may be a work-ablerelationship,he undesirablenessies in the fact that for the maximumdevelopmentof each individual there should be an interchangeof needfulfillment.That is, Joe should have his need for aggressionexpressedonthe outside and not have the aggressivefeelings of others and his ownturnedtowardhimself. In other words, this is an unbalancedexchange-a one way pathfor theseforceswhich is undesirableboth for the aggressorandtherecipientof the aggression.And of course, hereshouldbe in humanrelationshipswarmth,sympathy,and affectionand here these are lacking.211



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CHILD DEVELOPMENTAlthough Joe's social status is high, he is a child who in his interpersonalrelationships remains emotionally isolated. It is as Helen Jennings believes,social status is related to the interpersonal contributions of members of agroup, and Joe's contribution is one in which he is acted upon by thegroup (3, p. 205).

Joe's needs. We believe that, although Joe is most chosen by the mem-bers of his group, he still is in need of aid toward certain adjustmentalprocesses. Richards states the problem well: The patient needs aggressiveexpression through some outlet that will provide release and yet will not bedisastrous to others and so increase his frustration (7, p. 257). Joe is ona course in development which will lead to further difficulty. He will beincreasingly at a loss because of his emotional isolation. This is likely toincrease his feeling of guilt, anxiety, and the aggressive tendencies towardhimself. It is likely that psychosomatic manifestations will develop.5 Joe'sdifficulties at present tend toward a basis for fundamental problems. Rich-ards points out this basis: Fundamental to conflict in most instances ofneurosis or psychosis is frustration in the search for love and recognition,aggression because of frustration, and the need for expression of this con-sequent hostility (7, p. 257)-

CONCLUSIONS AND QUESTIONSThis study has provided evidence that children's choices may not be acriterion of value on which to base adjustmental goals. It is not indicatedthat simply because a child is most chosen by his peers that he is effectivelymeeting his developmental tasks or possesses desirable personal character-istics. It is further indicated that his very popularity may be an indicationof difficulty. In Joe's case he was not chosen because of desirable charac-

teristics but as an outlet for aggression and directive needs of other children.Too, Joe cannot be considered a leader. It seems we should be careful notto confuse high social status and leadership. Joe's personal characteristicsdo not contain those usually included with those of leadership.This study leads us to certain fundamental questions. Some of thesefollow: How often in children's groups are most chosen children ineffective5 The interview with the mother corroborated his development. She reportedenuresisand that Joe had recently begun nail-biting. The origin of Joe's difficulties s not within

the scope of this study. However, Joe'sfamily conditions certainlyhave some bearing onhis difficulties.A researchworker, Mrs. Mary Johannis,reportedthat Joe lives in a rathersmall house near a noisy street. The house gives the impression of being too full offurniture and people. The house is owned by Joe's grandmother. He, his mother, andfour-year-oldbrothermoved there when his father was recalled to active military service.The household was already, crowded. It consisted of the grandmother, two uncles,thirteen and twenty-one years old, and a sixteen-year-oldaunt. Difficultieswould soonbe added to the situation since Joe's mother was expecting her third child. In talkingabout the living conditions, Joe's mother said, It's crowded here. It would be betterto be off by ourselves. Our children are mixed in and it's not so good.212



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THERON ALEXANDER and MARIE ALEXANDERand in need of aid toward more satisfying nterpersonal elationships?Or,do extremes of high social status in children'sgroups usually mean diffi-culty? Does the fact that a child is most chosen mean that he has certainfundamentalcharacteristicshat will lead to neurosis?That is, does thefact that a child must fit in with the variouspatternsof personalityofeach member n a groupmeanthathis totalityof personality anonlyappealto certain basicneeds such as that of an outlet for aggression?

REFERENCESI. ALEXANDER, T. A study of perception as influenced by conflict. Amer.Psychologist, i951, 6, 312.2. ANDERSON,LADYS,and ANDERSON,. Behavior problems of children.In L. A. Pennington and I. A. Berg (Eds.), An introduction toclinical psychology. New York: Ronald Press, 1948.3. JENNINGs,HELEN HALL. Leadership and isolation. New York: Long-mans, Green, 1950.4. KANNER, L. Child psychiatry. Springfield, Ill.: Charles C. Thomas,

1948.5. KORNER, NNELIESE.Hostility in young children. New York: Gruneand Stratton, 1949.6. MURRAY, . A. The Thematic Apperception Test. Cambridge: Har-vard Univ. Press, 1943.7. RICHARDS,. W. Modern clinical psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1946.8. SCHMIDT,W. O. A study of the effect of specific tension-reducing ex-perience on a performance test. Unpublished Master's thesis, Flo-rida State Univ., 1950.9. SMITH, W. D. Manual of sociometry for teachers. Ann Arbor: Child

Development Laboratories, Univ. Mich., I951.10. SRYGLEY,JANEH. A study of certain aspects of self concept relatedto problem solving. Unpublished Master's thesis, Florida StateUniv., 1951.

Manuscript received December 7, 1951.

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