Citation

Xie H, Li Y, Boucher SM, Hutchins BC, Cairns BD. Dev. Psychol. 2006; 42(4): 599-612.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA. hongling.xie@temple.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/0012-1649.42.4.599

PMID

16802894

Abstract

Open-ended questions were used to obtain narrative accounts of what makes a girl (or a boy) popular (or unpopular) at school. The participants were 489 African American students in Grades 1, 4, and 7 recruited from high-risk inner-city neighborhoods. Appearance and self-presentation were mentioned the most in Grades 4 and 7. Prosocial characteristics were especially relevant for popularity in Grade 1, as were studentship in Grade 4 and peer affiliations in Grade 7. Deviant behaviors were nominated for popularity more frequently in Grade 7 than in the younger grades and more for boys' popularity than for girls'. The mean deviance scores were negative in all grade levels, suggesting a normative peer culture. Male groups in Grade 7 showed significant homophily in reports of deviant behaviors.

Language: en