Running head: RESEARCH STUDY REVIEW 1

Research Review of Middle-School Self-Presentation

CarlottaRhea VH Clark

California State University Monterey Bay

IST520 Learning Theories

Dr. Sarah Tourtellote

March 23, 2017

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Teenagers in middle school can be very difficult to understand. Everything from the way

they dress, to their attitudes, and the way they present themselves to their peers. Middle school

can be a confusing time for many students. They are unsure of how to present themselves to

peers and just want to be liked by their friends. Many sacrifice their own morals they were raised

with to be popular and considered cool. As a teacher I have witnessed students changing their

behaviors in front of their friends so that they can appear to be cool. Even when students are

already accepted by their peers, many feel the constant need to reaffirm their status on a daily

basis. How they are perceived by their peers means more to them than almost anything else in

their world. Joan Book and Justin Russoti did a quantitative research study. This study was done

to demonstrate how self-presentation strategy beliefs were related to peer-rated popularity

during middle school. The hypothesis was not clear but their reasons for doing the study were.

They wanted to see if there was a correlation between if students were popular and how they

presented their grades to others.

The fact that this particular research involved minors requires the researchers to go through

some extra steps that they normally wouldnt need to. They announced their research through the

parent newsletter at the school they were conducting research in. They also attached a permission

slip for students to return if they didnt want their students to participate in the study. While this

study wasnt very serious in nature, as in their were no medicines used, and students werent

subjected to anything other than a question, I am wondering if parents knew about it. I know

many parents dont read newsletters and such when they go home. This essentially meant that

some parents might not have known that they study was happening. There were a few parents

who chose not to have their students participate in the study, despite the fact that all results were

to be kept confidential. Some students were also not present on the day the study was done which
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reduced their sampling size as well. By the end of study almost the entire middles school

participated in the study. It was representative of the target population in their specific area.

This study was done in a predominantly middle-class rural western New York town. For

that area I would say the results they got were definitely representative of most middle class

neighborhoods in America. However, if they wanted a true representation of the middle school

population they should have also conducted the study in lower income areas as well as urban

areas. Students in those areas often think differently about how they represent themselves and

might have had very different answers. The researchers in this study chose to use an entire school

population, which was appropriate for the purpose of the study. However, their study is now only

representative of the population that they chose, which are mostly middle-class white students.

Their research methods and questions were clearly described so that anyone in a different area

could go replicate the study and see if they receive the same results from students with different

background. This study is very interesting and while I might draw my own conclusions about my

students, it would be great if the study could be replicated in the low-income school where I

teach. Being in a low-income, predominantly Hispanic area could change the results of the study

significantly.

In this study appropriate statistical techniques were used. Students were given a choice of

five possible answers when given a scenario in which they shared how they would handle

speaking about their own grades with peers. There were choices for almost every different

response a child might give. The data was then compiled based on grade and gender. The

researchers also used a measurement system to decipher how popular different students were to

include in their research. This seemed to also have an effect on the data given. The data was

reported in tables where the overall mean was represented. It was confusing to the average reader
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and a chart would have been helpful to understand all of their numerical research. After all the

research was compiled no main effects of popularity on self-presentation strategy beliefs

emerged. I find this hard to believe because from a teachers point of view in the classroom it is

very easy to see. The study was done in a way that may have skewed results, as it was not

completely anonymous. Even if students spread out around a classroom there is always someone

who is watching them and they recognize this. They are on a stage to the world in middle school

and many students act as if that stage is always on for them to be the person they want others

to see them as.

The results of the data analysis support the findings of the study; however, these findings

did not prove their hypotheses. The researchers concluded that overall most students believe they

should be honest or vague when presenting themselves to peers in regards to their grades. The

researchers explained, in detail, the results that varied determining on gender and whether or not

the students were in the seventh or eighth grade. Female students had different opinions than

male students because they viewed honesty as trait that would help them gain friendships. The

researchers did find worrisome traits from their findings. Most worrying is the fact that students

believe their should not represent their true talents in terms of good grades, in order to gain

friendships and to be liked among their peers.

While many teachers may have thought about these results by just being in the classroom

on a daily basis, this study proved what they might have thought. This research is of value to

many teachers and principals as we could recreate the study in our own schools. Having this data

to back up our own observations could help us create classes and workshops where students

would be able to express their opinions and truly allow their talents to shine. The researchers

admitted this study was done in a small school where many knew one another already and this
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impacted the results. If this study were done in a larger school, where not everyone knew each

other, the results could vary greatly. It also should be done in low-income, urban areas, to

compare how different these students feel based on where they live. Overall, the idea of a formal

study was a great thought but limiting it to this one small school meant that the results are not

going to give an in-depth look at all middle schoolers. Its a great start to something I would like

to see done across the nation. It could truly turn into something that will help us better create

empowerment classes for our youth.

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References

Zook,J.M.,&Russotti,J.M.(2013).AcademicSelfPresentationStrategiesandPopularityin

MiddleSchool.TheJournalofEarlyAdolescence,33(6),765785.

doi:10.1177/0272431612467229