Hobson-Underwood, Penelope Anne2024-08-142024-08-1419851985https://hdl.handle.net/1828/18181Although popularity in preschool-age children is of interest to developmental and clinical psychologists, the variables that influence popularity remain elusive, and the literature in this area is notable for its inconsistent and contradictory findings. The present study was designed to resolve some of these discrepancies. Teacher ratings of 135 preschool-age children on the following variables were obtained: physical attractiveness, body build, activity level, dominance, communication skills, the ability to take another's viewpoint, and the rate and quality of interactions with peers. Age, sex, and length of stay at preschool were also noted. Correlational and multiple regression analyses indicated that the relationships between the variables studied and popularity are complex, and may vary over time and setting. Two distinct interactional styles were identified as being important to popularity: one which was assertive, and one which involved more prosocial skills. Cluster analyses identified six homogenous groups of children of different popularity status: one very popular group of "Stars"; three average groups: "Prosocial", "Assertive", and "Potentially popular" and two unpopular groups: "Neglected" and "Rejected". The differential representation of such subgroups across samples, and the influence of differing social ecologies among schools, may well be responsible for many of the inconsistencies reported in the literature on popularity.97 pagesAvailable to the World Wide WebThesis