ERIC Number: EJ1050305
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Feb
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0012-1649
EISSN: N/A
The Role of Popularity Goal in Early Adolescents' Behaviors and Popularity Status
Dawes, Molly; Xie, Hongling
Developmental Psychology, v50 n2 p489-497 Feb 2014
The effect of popularity goal on the use of 3 popularity-related behaviors and later popularity status was examined in a diverse sample of 314 6th-grade students (176 girls and 138 boys) in both fall (Time 1) and spring (Time 2) semesters. Popularity goal and the use of popularity-driven behaviors (e.g., "I change the way I dress in order to be more popular") were assessed by self-report survey items (Time 1). Physical aggression, social aggression (Time 1), and perceived popularity (Times 1 and 2) were assessed by peer nominations. Popularity goal was positively associated with popularity-driven behaviors, social aggression, and physical aggression. There was a significant interaction effect between popularity goal and popularity status on the use of concurrent social aggression at Time 1; a higher popularity goal was associated with greater usage of social aggression for high-popular adolescents. Popularity goal alone did not predict popularity status change at Time 2; rather, greater use of social aggression at Time 1 was associated with higher Time 2 popularity status for initially high-popular adolescents who had a high-popularity goal and for initially low-popular adolescents who had a low-popularity goal. A similar 3-way interaction effect was found for physical aggression. Results suggest that the adolescents' goal for popularity may help us better understand the functions of aggressive and popularity-driven behaviors in peer social networks.
Descriptors: Grade 6, Peer Acceptance, Goal Orientation, Role, Social Status, Aggression, Correlation, Behavior Patterns, Surveys, Prediction, Social Networks, Middle School Students, Statistical Analysis
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Grade 6; Intermediate Grades; Middle Schools; Elementary Education; Secondary Education; Junior High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: 0339070