Some factors associated with popularity.

The task which was undertaken by this research was that of finding, if possible, some of the factors associated with popularity. The general problem is to determine the causes of social adjustment or maladjustment, and to ascertain what teachers and others can do to control those causative factors. This broad problem, however, is very difficult to undertake as a whole, chiefly because it is so poorly denned. A very cursory review of the literature will disclose that, at present, the terms 'social adjustment' and 'personal adjustment' are chaotically tangled in meaning, while the nature of desirable social adjustment is a confused mixture of popularity, friendship, leadership, sociability, social participation, social adaptability (tact), social intelligence, social competence, and social maturity. Beyond these elements of personal interaction are still more general elements such as competition and cooperation which are frequently included under the heading of social adjustment. A clarification of word meanings and of values would contribute much at this time to progress in the understanding of social adjustment. Until such clarification is accomplished, the term 'popularity' is probably as meaningful a synonym for social adjustment as can be found. In spite of much superficial use of the word in everyday conversation, it succeeds better than most words in meaning the reaction stimu-