Research question and summary of the findings
The key research issue of this study was to evaluate the role sports play in determining the social status structure among children. At the adolescent period, many children emphasize on the need of being popular and accepted by their acquaintances. They become popular to their peers by being good at things their peers treasure. From Past researches’ findings, it is evident that there is a significant gender difference when it comes to using sports as a measure for social rank. Secondary school male students indicated that most of them attributed popularity to being good at sports especially athletics. For girls, one had to get good grades to be popular (Buchanan, Blankenbaker and Cotton, 1976, pp. 322-325). However, many changes have occurred on the criteria that children use in determining social status since the inception of Title IX in mid-1970s. As a result, a research was conducted on grade level 4, 5 and 6 to determine the variations between the previous findings and the criterion currently used. It was found that boys preferred sports as the vital determinant of personal popularity while girls preferred appearance.
For boys, there was a considerable relation between grade levels in ranking individuals with respect to sports and appearance. Most of the girls cited personal status as the determining factor with a significant relation between the grade levels. Sports and appearance became more preferred in determining individual recognition as one ascended the grade levels. The data portrayed a clear change in the criteria used to categorize social ranks at the present from what was being used previously (Kay, Felker & Varoz, 1972, pp. 206-217). Appearance has become more important while games and academic excellence depreciate in determining personal recognition among girls while for boys’ sports and appearance has become more valued with academic excellence depreciating in value. On requested to give the criteria for ranking male, each grade level for boys selected sports as the most preferred criteria while girls preferred appearance. On the criteria used in ranking girls’ popularity, boys highlighted being pretty as the most important factor. There was no significant difference among gender with girls also choosing being pretty as the criteria they frequently apply. When asked on the kind of activity they would prefer to take part in at school, both girls and boys preferred the game dubbed make good grades. The order of the rank of activities most preferred did not change from the previous one. However, there was a decrease in the popularity of the make good grades activity and an increase in the popularity of the activity dubbed be popular. No noticeable grade-level relation appeared in the activities most preferred by children for both boys and girls.
Popularity phenomenon as per the data
From the overall outcomes of the data, academic achievement was the most ideal activity of the children in all grade levels. However, its preference seems to continue decreasing with time. All the children do not take the issue of one being rich as important in determining ones popularity. Children in all grade levels recorded least preference of one having a lot of money as the best criteria in ranking persons in the society. There is a clear distinction among gender on the issue of personal popularity among the children when it comes to the preferred criteria. For the boys they emphasize on one being good in sports while girls insist on the need for one to have pretty appearance as the best criteria in ranking people. These preferences are highly valued as one ascends the grade levels. The children portray a unique criterion of determining personal popularity where they considered the case of one being rich as their least preferred method. This is unexpected when it comes to the issue of popularity among the grownups (Snyder, 1985, pp.214-216).
Effectiveness of the data
The data obtained was effective in assisting the authors address their starting research question as they were able to establish to what extent the children preferred sports as a criterion of determining one’s popularity. From the data, the authors can be able to come up with a conclusion that sports are mostly preferred by male while female prefer appearance. They were also able to come up with other findings from the research which helped them to come up with a concrete decision. Another data that could have been included in the study and which could have also given an insight to the context of the research was the criterion of friendliness. Being a friendly person is another factor that may determine one’s popularity. The data on this criterion could easily be obtained through going to the field and conducting a one to one correspondence with the children (Snyder & MacKillop, 1990, pp. 195-209).
Quality and effectiveness of study
Through comparing the findings with what had been obtained by Buchanan et al., the researchers were able to get some idea on some of the important determinants of personal recognition among the children. However, the method cut on the number of response choices that could be selected. It is likely that some of the criteria used no longer play a role in determining personal popularity among the children.
Reference list
Buchanan, H. T., Blankenbaker, J. & Cotton, D. (1976). Academic and athletic ability as popularity factors in elementary school children. Research Quarterly, Vol. 47, 322-325.
Kay, R. S., Felker, D. W. & Varoz, R. O. (1972). Sports interests and abilities as contributors to self-concept in junior high school boys. Research Quarterly, Vol.3, 206-217.
Snyder, E. E. & MacKillop, A. (1990). Analysis of jocks and other subgroups within the high school status structure. In velden, L. V. & Humphrey, J. H. Eds. Psychology and sociology of sports. New York: AMS Press.
Snyder, E. E. (1985). A theoretical analysis of academic and athletics role. Sociology of sports journal, vol. 3, 214-216.