.. . .a...§
..

 

.
...

 

{ff‘cuer-y. ‘0‘."|.4;D“

 

"-"lhh‘

 

               

 

 

 

 

. . I
0.. .
.. ... c n . o ..
’0 . I ‘ 1.x
.. 0 . . ’ u. .
. . I . . _ . . .
. . . . o I o . . o .. . . o. . .
. . ... I . . . a . . .I . . . . .. . . .C . 7. . a 3. .. I . .
. . . 0 . .ou . .. . . .. I 7.. .._ o. q , . _ . . 7 . V n . o op. . . n. . o. .
\ n A n 0 I .I 0-. ..
3. . . .. «. . . .. . .. . . . . _ . 2. . . .
. . . I . . .o. . .. . . . .
u A a u I . ‘0 I . v I I I a 0" o I I ..
. . A . . . . . . I . ._ .
. . . _ .. . n . a v. t o . . o .. . .1...
-| C. . 0‘ I v n o . . 0 ¢ 7 . A - -" u . . I
nu .. . . . u ‘ . 7 .. 7 . . 0 . o . . V .
. .. o . .. A . .. . u. . . . .a . . . I - .
. . ._ . o . . . . . .. o . . o .. I Q . . I. .
. . . . . . . . . . . o . I . .
. v o. . _ v o I. . . . . ' .
a . .0 . ‘ u. a. . 5 . _. . . . . . .I x.
. .. . . .. . . u . . . . .l ‘. . t. .’ . .o
.. . I. q . . . . I . .. . I _ . . .
O . . . . . I o . v . o .
q . . . n ‘.. o I . . . ‘ .
I I u o . - loo . I ' l A
>\ . I 9 . . . v . . . I I . .
. o . . o . . . o .. . . . I .
c I o . I u . 0 ‘o o
n . - a o v a... I I O Q ¢J . n . - o
t‘ . I _ - . I I .. o . I I ‘ ' I u D .
I . . . . o . a . . ‘ . .o . O . . .. . .o . A . . a. o v
a. . . Q . _ . . . . O ¢.o . .I . . . . . . a
. . . 1. ... . . .‘ . . . . v . .o A. ‘ ;{I.tv.
. . a . t « ... . .I . u o . . . . u .. c .n .‘t
. . u . 4 Q . ... o . . I v o . . . n n I . .
. .. . . . . . . _. . a ‘ c . .. .. . .. .
o . o . . a. a Q . . I c .. . . . . .
o . . . . . n . C . I A ‘ . . I I a .
I1 . . s I I ' I I .. — .
u I o . O _ L. I v o Iv . . I o . I.
. . . _ . I . . . . .. _ v . I
. I . . . J . I ‘. . . . o
. . . . . . o O . .
r . . . . I . . . . . . O
_ I . I . a ‘ o .
n I . D u . v I Q. o u
. . . . . . .
. . . .. . . . I .. . . .0. . o .
. . _ . . . . v~ o o .
I . . _ I . ‘ . .. v . . c. I. . . .n
t . . u .
‘ . . . . o ‘ . . .. . 0. . . . .
I . u . . . . . o
I O. . .- . . . I . . .' .
. I l . . O
. . . . . 3. . n l . .
. .1 . . c . .
_ I o C v. . ‘ I O -
o c . . o I . o . 4 u . . .
u ‘ . . .V . . . . . . . . .. . o.
. s . I I .
~ I . . i. O u I II o .
. . . . ; n . . . . . . .
a _ . . . u i . . c . . . . I. .
. u . .
. . . . .. ‘o. . . ~ ‘ . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
a . .v. . . o . o
. . I .a I I o I O
. . . . _ . . . I u .
v . . . . . o
_ I . .
. .. . . . ‘
g . .
w ' u I. .-
. o . - 4 . I . .
_ . . . . _ o o
. . I . c
. _ I I . . . c 1 I .
. n . . . . .
c u a I I _ M I I ‘ I
. . .
n . . . . . . . I . . . . .
w . . t . . . . . o
. . I .
. u . | o <. D .
. . .
. .I. I
.. . . . . c . . . I I. n
. a . . . .
n . o . . .
. Q . . . . . . _ .
I . . .
~ C . I
. v . .
. . . . c .
_ ..
I . . .. I ‘ . ‘ . .
.~ I .~ . I . l . a ..
¢ . . - I o p: u n
. . I .
. . . ~ . . . .
I It. a
. .I. .. . .
. I . . . . . .
w. - 3.. . . ..A . . .
~ . I I O I . a.
. .
O n I r O. I .
. . . . 5
o I I A . . I
. u I
I It . o I.
O n I I . . v . I.
. . .
A
I —-_ I
v . n . . I . . I
. I o n . I
y o . I .
.
. u . | . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
o . . . ..
. . .
. . . .4
I . . Q . O.
. . .
_ I .
. I u
. n . .
_ .
t . v
v .
. . . .
v . I
. . .
U v
u . . . . . .
v .o. . .1
.
— .
. .
r I I
. . .
._
.. . - . .
. .
_
l
. . . .
. . .. A 0
. C u I . a I. Iv 4 I a I
. ‘ . A . . . r t.
. I
v ‘ . I n I ’ n
I u I I I! ..
. | c . . . . o . I
. . ‘ n . I I r . u
5 .I. . . . O A
. . .
. . . . .
. . . .
I .
_ . .
v . ..
.

 

 

 

 

LHTQ’V‘L‘
IUHMI".

Michigan State
University

 

 

 

PLACE IN RETURN BOX to remove this checkout from your record.
To AVOID FINES return on or before date due.
MAY BE RECALLED with earlier due date if requested.

 

DATE DUE DATE DUE DATE DUE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2/05 czlcFaC/oateoueindd-ms

 

 

//é;SE STUDIES OF SIXTEEN GIRLS
OPINIONS ON CLOTHING,"'
APPEARANCE AND

GROUP ACCEPTANoE//

By

Jeanne Gleason Clark

A7

A PROBLEM

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

MASTER OF ARTS

College of Home Economics
Department of Textiles and Related Arts

l96h

.53
36 w!
Irma,

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

It is very necessary for me to pay special tribute
to many individuals who were so vital to the writing of
this paper, hence the completion of this degree.

This writer would especially like to give tri-
bute to the extreme patience and understanding of Miss
Arlene BJorngaard, who directed the writing of the major
portion of this paper; to Miss Jeanette Lee, Assistant
Dean of the College of Home Economics and this writer's
curriculum adviser, whoSe moral support and guidance caused
this paper to be finally completed and to Dr. Joanne B.
Eicher, who launched this researcher on this particular
theme.

A more personal thanks is due to my husband, Russell,
and my children for their love and understanding during
the years necessary to complete this degree, and to my
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Gleason, who were such
wonderful baby sitters during each summer school, and

especially to God who made it all possible.

111

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..............

LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter ' " -- - ‘ ‘ ‘ * -‘

I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . .

II. METHODOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . .

III. POPULATION DESCRIPTION . . . . . . .

IV. PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF SIXTEEN
STUDIES 0. O O 0‘ O O O O O O O O

v. COMPARISON OF THREE METHODS OF DATA
COLLECTION IN REGARD TO CLOTHING
-.AWARENESS . . ..... ..... . .

VI. SUMMARY ".'.‘.'. . . . g . . . . . .

BIBLIOGRAPHY O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
APPMDIX O O O O O O O O O O O

Page
iii

19

28

63
66

68
7O

DIAGRAM
I...

Table
1.

LIST OF TABLES

Page
Reciprocal Friendship Patterns for Three
Years By Categories of Social Class and
Social Acceptance . . . . . . . . . 22

Distribution of Number of Siblings by
Social Class and Reciprocal Friendship. 2h

Organizational Membership by Social Class
and Reciprocal Friendship . . . . . . 25

Distribution of Rating of Appearance by
Interviewer by Social Class and
Reciprocal Friendship . . . . . . 26

Clothing Awareness as Demonstrated by
Categories of Reciprocal Friendship
and Social Class Categories . . . 64

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Statement of Problem

In recent years a surging interest has developed
in the period of life called adolescence. The adolescent's
desires and reactions have been charted and analyzed and
great amounts of information have been gained from these
data.

In a current research project in the Department of
Textiles, Clothing and Related Arts considerable information
has been gathered on a group of adolescent girls.1 Some
of the data have been analyzed but much information still
may be gleaned from them.

For this study data regarding clothing, appearance,
and group opinions of sixteen ninth grade girls, collected

by three previous investigators is analyzed.2

 

1Joanne B. Eicher, "Ninth Grade Girls' Opinions and
Behavior Related to Appearance, Role, Social Class and
Acceptance," (Michigan State university Experiment Station
Project, in.progress). ,

2Portions of the above cited study were carried on
by Betty Haas, "Clothing as Related to Role Behavior of
Ninth Grade Girls " unpublished Master{s thesis, Michigan
State university, 19 2); Arlene Bjorngaard, "Relationship
of Social Class and Social Acceptance to Clothing and

1-’

2
It is the purpose of this study to analyze in

depth all the material on the selected sample to determine
(1) if the sixteen girls in the four categories of social
Class and social acceptance conform in types of dress on

a specific occasion, (2) whether or not similar information
may be obtained from the same respondent using different
methods of data collection, and (3) the degree of stability

that exists within these studied categories.

Review of Literature

 

In this chapter literature which is pertinent to
the importance that adolescents attach to social acceptance,

social class, and clothing and appearance will be reviewed.

Social Acceptance

 

To be accepted among peers seems to be one of the
important goals of the typical adolescent. Social acceptance
manifests itself along a continuum from negative acceptance,
the position of the isolate, to that of positive acceptance
into a peer group as a clique or reciprocal friendship
structure member. The importance of the peer groups to
the adolescent is agreed upon by many authors, one of whom;
states that "in maturing the adoleScent finds himself in the
period of life in which the peer group has its greatest

 

and Appearance Of a Selected Group of Ninth Grade Girls"
(unpublished Master's theses, Michigan State University, 1962)
and Eleanor Kelley,"Analysis of Clique Influence on Indivin

dual Responses Indicating Clothing Awareness Of Teenage Girls"
(termqproblem presented to Dr. Eicher, Michigan State University,

1962).

importance."l

One type of adolescent group is the clique. Hurlock
defines the clique as a small, exclusive, non-kin, informal,
face to face, social group bound not by rules but by a
common set of values. School cliques are usually formed
from the same class or prestige group of the class.2

Membership in these groups requires certain acts
of conformity and "to be accepted, the individual must
conform to group values."3 Horrocks describes this
conformity to peer mores as "one of the cardinal prin-
ciples of the typical adolescent's life".’4 Blake supports
this same general concept of conformity in this following

statement :

 

1' ' Adolescent Girls,(Institute of Social
Research-~Survey Research Center,.University of Michigan,

1956). p. 15; ”” A

2Elizabeth Hurlock, Adolescent Development(New
York: McGraw Hill, 1955), pifilQQ.

31b1d. p. 176. '

A

John E. Horrocks, The Ps cholo of Adolescence
(Boston :_ Houghton N1£r11n3“196§§f'57‘§%21

 

h

Tendencies toward conformity and conversion are
heightened when an individual is with others,

at least three in number, where the others are

in uniform agreement and where their reactions'
represent only small departures from.the position
believed by the indifidual to represent his own
convictions. If the others present are personally
acquainted with the individual, and are persons
whom he respects, additional conformity pressures
are created.

Although some adults tend to be critical of the
adolescent's preoccupation with being accepted and his
conformity to peer mores, Horrocks feels that

on the whole the influence of the peer group

is good in that it offers security and an ' 2

opportunity to learn, and promotes emancipation.
This feeling seems to be supported by others, as stated
by Reisman. ’ ,

What is best is not in their(parents) control,

but in the hands of the school and peer groups

that will help locate the child eventually in

the hierarchy.3

At the other end of the acceptance continuum are
the "isolates, who have no close friends, sho belong to
no clique or crowds and who feel no one cares for them or
has any Interest in them".u This may be a voluntary or
involuntary status, depending on whether the isolate

desires to be alone or is merely not chosen.

 

1Robert Blake and Jane Srygley Mouton,"Conformity

and Conversion,"Conformit and Deviation, ed. Irwin Berg
and Bernard Bass (New_York: Harper and Bros.,1961). P.27.

2Horrocks, op. cit., p. 142.

 

3David Reisman, The Lonelg Crowd (New Haven and London:
Yale university Press, 1961) p. .

“Hurioek, op. cit., p. 129.

5

values shift in this dynamic adolescent social
structure and "popularity at one age will not guarantee
popularity at another age."l An isolate at one period
may soon link onto an already formed group or may Join
with other isolates to form an entirely new group.
"The reason for shifts in population from one age to
another, even from one year to another, is to be found in

the difference in value groups at different ages".2

Social Class

Status or social class positioning is as important
to the adolescent as it is to the adult. The organization
and maintenance of any society is dependent upon the way
its members are classified. In an organized society the
young must be shaped so as to fit into the roles on which
the survival of the society depends.3

The feelings of other authors corroborate this
thinking in stating that "the organization of adolescent
peer groups is parallel to the social class stratification of

our society".n The grouping of social class within the high

 

1Ibid. p. 175.
2Ibid.

3James S. Coleman, The Adolescent Society.(New York:
Free Press, 1961), p. l.

“Mapheus Smith, "Some Factors in Friendship Selections
of High School Students,Vu Sooiometgz, VII (194A), 308.

 

6
schools is a definite projection of adult society.

The usual tendency of adults to associate with
people on the basis of wealth and general occupa-
tional class appears here as a characteristic of
high school pupils, doubtless indirectly because
of the general tendencies for social groups to

accord with the economic and occupational hierarchies.1

Clothing and Appearance

 

For the adolescent a close relationship seems to
exist between being accepted and the importance they place
on clothing. Hurlock indicated the right clothes help the
adolescent to identify with the group and give him security
in knowing that his appearance does not differ from.that
of the group.2 Coleman found that "nice clothes" ranked
behind good persOnality and good locks as necessities for
acceptance into the best groups.3 Further supporting_
this emphasis of clothing is Mary Ryan's survey of high
school girls and the influence of Clothing on behavior
as indicated by their responses. If the girls

felt well dressed they might become more talka-

tive and "peppier", or they might forget their
clothing and be relaxed. On the other hand, if

 

11b1d.

2Elizabeth Hurlock, Developmental Ps cholo
(New York: McGraw Hill Book Company, Inc., M

3Coleman, .2. cit. p. no

7

they were dissatisfied with their clothing they
might be self-conscious and so quieter, or they
might feel conspicuous and try to keep from the
center of the group . . . The reasons most often
given for the importance of being well dressed
were under the classification of "social contri-
bution". Being well dressed was considered
important because people are judged by their appear~
ance and therefore clothes are important in gain-
ing desired ends socially, attracting the opposite
sex, or obtaining a job.
Silberman also reminded us of the importance placed upon
clothing and appearance by girls regardless of age. In
her study three-fourths of the 1100 girls surveyed
acknowledged that right clothes were a necessary con-
comitant of happiness and an aid in building self con-
fidence.2
Summagy
The life of an adolescent is dominated by peer
mores and conformity to group norms. Since "being
accepted" is of utmost importance to these adolescents,
adherence to norms is quite rigid, but yet voluntary.
Horrocks and Reisman both believe that conformity
in adolesce is healthy; it enables the adolescent to grow
and develop and to find his place in society.
Many authors seem to realize the function of clothes
to enable adolescents to live happier, less self-conscious

liVes.

 

1Mary S. Ryan, Ps cholo ical Effects of Clothin ,

Part I: "Survey of the up one O o ege r s ornell
university Agricultura1,Station,"Bulletin 882, September,
1952) pp. 39-31. H - n

- 2
Sylvia Silverman, "Clothing and Appearance: Their
Psycholo ical Implicatiops for Teen Age Girls. (New YbrE:
Buigau O Publications, Teachers College, Columbia University
19 ‘; 11 , A I .1 . .. . '.

CHAPTER II
METHODOLOGY

Since this problem uses unanalyzed data gathered
in previous studies, a brief description of the methods
of data collection, community from which samples were
drawn, the instruments used, the methods of analysis and
a definition of terms is presented prior to describing
the purpose and method of analysis used in this study.

The data used in this study were taken from the
following four studies:

1. Relationship of Social Class and Social Acceptance

to Clothing and Appearance if a Selected
Group of Ninth Grade Girls.

2. Clothing as gelated to Role Behavior of Ninth
Grade Girls.

3. Analysis of Clique Influence on Individual
Responses Indicating Clothing Awareness of
Teen Age Girls.

 

1Bjorngaard, op. cit.

2Wass, op. cit.
3Kelley, op. cit.

9

4. Opinions of Clothing, Appearance and Social
Acceptance as Factprs of Group Cohesion of
Ninth Grade Girls.

Description of Community

The school from which data for all four of the
above studies were gathered is in an atypical community
in “ South Central Michigan. It has a greater proportion
of young, mobile, white collar, highly educated, and higher
paid citizens than the average Michigan city.

Michigan State University, which is located in
the community, has considerable influence on the population
characteristics cited above. For example, 72 per cent of
the population are white collar workers and only 7 per
cent are engaged in manufacturing occupations. Approximately
31 per cent of the families have incomes over $10,000
whereas 12 per cent have incomes under $3,000." For the
total population, almost 58 per cent have moved to their
present place of residence since 1958 and 67 per cent of
the family heads were college graduates.

The one public high school servicing the community
is a co-educational public school of 1103 students. In
1960 the population elected to annex the Towar Garden area,
composed primarily of working class people. This incor~

poration caused a slight change in the social class make-

 

"”“"”lmade1yn Williams, "OpiniOns of Clothing, Appearance
and Social Acceptance as Factors of Group Cohesion of Ninth
kGrade Girls" unpublished Master's thesis, Michigan State
University, 19 3).

10
up of the high school population and enabled a view of
social extremes which caused this high school to be
considered especially suitable for this particular re-
search project. For a more complete description of this

sample see the BjOrngaard or wass theses.l

Instruments Employed

 

The wass instrument, a two-part questionnaire,
was administered to the entire female population of the
ninth grade as they were assembled in the high school
cafeteria. The first section of the instrument contained
space for background information. The second portion
was an anonomously written section which had been pre-
viously coded. It provided information concerning
clothing behavior.2 (See Appendix, p.73 ).

The Bjorngaard instrument, a structured inter-
view, was administered by experienced interviewers to the
entire female population of the ninth grade. The open-
ended questions were divided into five major categories
with social class and social acceptance as related to:
(1) general acceptance, (2) clothing acceptance, (3)se1f
Satisfaction, (h) clothing confidence, and (5) clothing

 

' 1Bjorngaard, wass, op. cit.

2The pledge of anonOmity has not been broken as
the instruments were henceforth used with the coded number
as reference.

ll
acceptance as viewed through situational stories.1 (For
complete description see Appendix, p.80 ). 8

An entirely different method of investigation was
utilized by Kelley.2 A projective technique in the form
of the modified T.A.T. (Thermatic Apperception Test) was
administered to a group of selected girls. These girls were
a small portion of the total population.3

In this method the subjects were presented a series
of pictures, each of which depicted people of various
economic means, age and dress in a variety of situations.
From these pictures the respondents were asked to develop
stories which would become an account of their individual
notion of the pictured situations and would give the
interviewer a possible insight into the thinking of the
interviewee.

Most of the sketches were clear enough to leave
little doubt as to the gender of the character. One
picture, however, depicted the central character in a
confused dress and with a dubious hair cut and shadowed
features. (See complete description, Appendix p.87 )
This character caused the greatest confusion for the
interviewees.

The study by Williams was a more thorough analysis

""‘Bjorngaard, Op, cit. p.36;"
2Keley, op. cit."”””

3See seleCtion of sample p.12 ,

12
of information previously gathered by Bjorngaard and
wass. .

After having first been tested during their
freshman year in high school, the same sociometric
question regarding choice of friends was readministered
the following two years. With this information it
was possible for this writer to chart a three year social

acceptance for each of the subjects.

Selection Of Sample

 

......

Two of the studies were conducted using the entire
female population of the ninth grade.1 Kelley's study
was done using a sample representation of the universe
of the ninth grade population which illustrated extremes
of social class and social acceptance. The social rank
of each girl was determined according to’a modification
of warner's Index of Social Class.2 A resulting ISC
score was given each girl.

The social acceptance of each girl had been
previously determined by means of a sociometric diagram.
The information for this diagram was gathered from the
Nass questionnaire. Each respondent provided information
as to their choice of‘ best friend. This provided Kelley
with the information necessary to select from the sOcial

class extremes, representatives who depicted both extremes--

 

“”‘1EJorngaard,‘wass;"op;'eit.

2 _.
For complete description see page

13
RFS members and isolates. "The eight isolates chosen
have the four lowest and the four highest social class
scores of all the isolates in the universe."1 Although the
lower RFS group contained one member classified as middle
class, "the two cliques chosen represent the lowest and
highest over-all social class mean rating of the entire

universe."2
Definition of Terms

The clear understanding of the precise meaning of
descriptive terms used in this investigation is basic
to the understanding of the methodology and the inter-
pretation of this study. Therefore, the operational
definitions of terms used here and in the previous phases
of the research from which data were drawn for this
study are defined here.

Isolate : an individual who had no reciprocated
friendships. There are four types of

isolates.

Isolatel : Pure isolate, whose lack of choices

1 received matches her lack of choices
made.

Isolatez : ignored isolate, made choices but
received none.

Isolate3 : self isolate, made no choices but

received some.

Isolate“ : confused isolate, the choices made
and received do not match.

 

‘ lKelley,'op.”cit.'p'.' 7.
2Ibid. p.87.

l4

Accurate Perceiver: individuals who had all choices
reciprocated, or who neither chose nor
were chosen. This category developed
by Williams and associates during
analysis of the reciprocated (and thus
unreciprocated) choices. .

Reciprocal Friendship Structure : (hereafter
known as RFS) a sodIbmetric diagram
of individuals whose choices Of friends
were returned.

There are several types Of RFS which
will not be reviewed at this time
since they have no significant bearing
upon this study.

Clothing Conformity: assessment of dress actually worn

Clothing SatisfactiOn: contentment with existing
wardrobe as determined by numerical score.

Clothing Awareness: number of times clothing was
mentioned in responses and/Or number
of clothing related activities in
which one partakes. Tabulated from
information gathered by Bjorngaard,
wass, and Kelley. (For more complete
description see page 16 ).

Research Method

 

The case study method was selected as an appro-
priate method for analyzing the available data. Hillway
compares the case study method A

in essence to a careful and thorough examination
of the life and behavior of one individual or
case. . . which compromised a careful and com-
prehensive analysis of the development and status

 

1Williams, op. cit.pp. 34.35.

15

Of one individual, group or institution.1

Goode and Hatt support this thinking also in stating
that the case study method is

not a specific technique. It is a way of organizing

social data so as to preserve the unitary character

of the social object being studied. .. or . . . any
social unit as a whole, through development of that
unit.

It has been suggested by many authors that to be
most effective a case study must be used in conjunction with
the survey. The two instruments used in gathering data
surveyed the Opinions and behavior of the ninth grade
population. Both personal interview and a questionnaire
were used.

Due to the fact that three methods of data collection
had been used on sixteen girls, this study will deal with
the subjects previously selected by Kelley.3 These included
four representatives of each of the following groups of
social class and social acceptance:

1. Upper social class RFS

. Upper social class leolate

2
3. Lower social class RFS
4

. Lower social class iSOlate

 

lT. Hillway, IntrOduction to Research (Boston:
Houghton Mifflin, 1956fip. 221.

2william J. GoOde and Paul K. Hatt, Methods in
Social Research (New York: McGraw Hill, 19527’, p.330}

 

‘ 3comp1ete infOrmatiOn was available on only fif-
teen girls. The T.A.T. information was unabailable on
one lower class isolate.

16
Method of Analy§i§_

The data available from instruments given each
girl was thoroughly investigated and analyzed in depth
to obtain opinions of adolescents regarding clothing.
Presentation of this information in the form of sixteen
separate case studies appear in chapter IV. Previously
administered instruments were compared to determine if
responses Obtained by using different instruments were
consistent in relation to awareness.

All three instruments utilized in this study
have either direct or inferred reference to clothing
awareness. In the wass instrument the girls were
asked to complete a chart indicating frequency of
clothing related activity. (See Appendix, p.'f3)
Although a range was determined, both possible and actual,
no determination of low, medium, or high was made by
wass. This researcher arbitrarily set a range of low
(1-10), medium (ll-20), and high (21-30) for use in
this study. Kelley determined her score by the total
number of clothing related responses given by each res-
pondent to the T.A.T. pictures. The raw scores for
awareness compiled by Kelley and wass were used.

A second awareness score was developed from the

Bjorngaard instrument using responses to questions 1-6,

(See Appendix p.5il), assigning one point for each

question in which clothing and/Or appearance was men-

l7
tioned in the response. No prior reference to clothing
was made by the interviewer and there was no indication
by the questions that the interview schedule concerned
clothing. It was felt that any clothing related responses
would be an indication of clothing awareness. A score
of one was given each answer containing reference to
clothing. A score of 1-2 was set by the researcher as
low, 3-4, medium, and 5-6 indicated high clothing aware-
ness.

In order to determineif the subjects conformed in
types of dress worn to school within or between the
special groups, a comparison of the four categories in
terms of clothing actually worn in school situations
was made. Results from the previously administered
instruments were compared to determine if responses ob-
tained by using different instruments were consistent
in relation to awareness. This presented some problems
Some respondents were not notified properly, or had
forgotten about the interview, so came to the inter-
view dressed in "gym" clothes-nshorts and blouses.

Some of the interviewers did not record the complete

outfit worn by the respondent. Finally, in the ques-
tionnaire, many subjects recorded their answers inac-
curately or incompletely. One further point should be

noted. No comparison could be made between the two

instruments as the initial instrument was administered

18
in winter and the following instrument was administered
in the late spring. This would be a definite factor

in the selection of clothing.

CHAPTER III
POPULATION DESCRIPTION

This chapter will provide a comparison of the
sixteen girls as isolates, RFS members, and members of
differing social class in regard to: (l)socia1 class
and social acceptance, (2) father's education, (3) reli-
gious preference, (4) number of siblings, (5) organizational
membership, (6) number and location of elementary schools
attended, (7) rating of appearance of the respondent by

the interviewer.
Social Class and Social Acceptance

The social class indicator for this study was
provided by following an adaptation of warner's Index
of Status Characteristics(hereafter known as ISO). The
range of ISC was 12-84 with the lowest score indicating
the highest social class. This rating included house
type, dwelling area, and occupation of the main financial
supporter of the family. Lower social class was considered
from 62-84, middle ranged from 38-61, with upper being
considered from 12-37.1

 

1The term "upper" for East Lansing does not have the
same meaning as warner's upper class, for it here is inclusive
of indeterminate and upper-middle, and lower includes inde-
terminate upper—lower and lower-lower.

19;

_..-.w___-.__'- j __

23

The eight girls in the study who represented the
lower social class category, both isolates and RFS members,
constituted 47 per cent of the entire lower social class
category of the ninth grade (17 girls). The eight girls
representing the upper social class category were only
8 per cent of the upper social class population of the
ninth grade (89 girls). This substantiates the fact that
the school is definitely atypical in social class
distribution.

Another item of importance should be noted at this
time. Each studied category is only a portion of its
entire category as found in the universe. The reader
should here note the following percentages as an indication
of what part of the whole group each studied category is.

Categories Percentages of
Total Category

Lower Social Class Isolate . . . . . 80%

Lower Social Class RFS Members . . . 33%

Upper Social Class Isolates. . . . . 33%

Upper Social Class RFS Members . . . 5%

So as we are seeing an almost total picture of the
reactions of the lower social class isolates, we are
tabulating only a minute portion of the views of the
total upper social class group members.

As Hurlock suggests popularity at one age does not

guarantee popularity at another age.1 Friendship is

 

1Hurlcck, op.cit. , p. 175

21

vacillating, especially so it seems at this dynamic stage
of life.

It is interesting to note in charting a social
acceptance pattern for three years that more lower class
members were no longer members of the school population in
the third year than were upper social class members. It
would be interesting to determine if this is caused by
dropping out of school, transferring to another school,
or failure in academic work. (See Diagram I)

Two isolates, one upper and one lower joined a
group the second year then returned the third year to the
status of isolate. Two upper isolates joined the same
group the second year and remained together through the
third year.

The most stabile relationships are found among
two members of the lower RFS who remained dyads for the
three years. Two upper social class RFS members did
likewise. The least amount of stability was exhibited by
three isolates, two upper social class and one lower
social class, whose category changed each year. Those
who were not present in the school system in 1963-64
were not used in the final analysis of stability.

22
DIAGRAM I

RECIPROCAL FRIENDSHIP PATTERNS

FOR THREE YEARS BY CATEGORIES
‘ OF SOCIAL CLASS AND
SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE.

 

 

Categories of
Reciprocal Friendship
and Social Class

Year

1961-62 1962—63

1963-54

 

Lower Social

Class Isolatgs 14
105 .15
154 .15
109 {IEEDI4

    

RPS 10‘

110 no longer
here

.14

154 no longer here

109 no longer

 

RPS 205 here
.Upper Social RPS
._Class Isolasiges 14 @Q— 125,51 W 3’;
17 @I 2 @‘CD‘ S735
40 @13 'iJO—(O/ ,1,

100 @14 “

 

Lower Social
Class RFS

102 W5.
101 {ll} 5
103 4955‘

104

 

 

101 no longer
here

@' @,©

 

Upper Social
“Class“RFS98

84

 

98 no longer
here

13 RC5
, 306‘]
©-@14'

é»

2.
Father's Education

The total membership of the lower social class
isolate group had fathers who were high school graduates.
In the lower RFS, two girls reported their fathers as high
school graduates, one of the girld' father had grade school
education, and one reported their father's education as
"unknown?

The upper class groups, isolates and RFS, were each
represented with a total of six out of eight fathers having
been college graduates. One of the upper isolate's father
had "some college" and one of the upper RFS member's

father had a high school education.
Religious Preference

Of the total population of Léixteen, eight were
Protestant, six were Catholic, and none of the respondents
was Jewish. The only respondents registering "none" in
religious affiliation were two upper social class members,
one isolate and one RFS member. Because of the high mobility
of the upper social class members, it is possible they had
not yet established church membership.

Number of Siblings

 

A total of nine siblings were represented in the
combined upper social class categories, with at least

twenty-four siblings represented in the combined lower

24
categories.1 Of the upper social class total, two reported

having one sibling, whereas only one lower class representative
had only one. (See Table l)

The lower sOcial class representatives, regardless of
reciprocal friendship category, seemed to have a much higher
number of siblings represented. Seventy-five per cent
of the lower class representatives had two or more sib-
lings, whereas only twenty-five per cent of the upper

class population had two or more.

TABLE 1

DISTRIBUTION OF NUMBER OF SIBLINGS BY
SOCIAL CLASS AND RECIPROCAL FRIENDSHIP

 

 

Categories of Number of Siblings
Reciprocal Friendship
and Social Class O l 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 more Totals

 

 

Lower isolates 0 l l O 1 O 0 0 O l 4
Upper isolates l 2 O l 0 O O O 0 0 4
Lower RFS members 1 O l l l O O O 0 O 4
Upper RFS members 1 2 1 0 O 0 O O 0 O 4

Totals 3 5 3 2 2 O O O O 1 16

 

Organizational Memberships

As is indicated in Table 2 all members under study are

members of at least one organization, except one lower

 

1This could represent more for the questionnaire only
allowed the response of "8 or more" in number of siblings.

25

social class isolate. Isolates are represented in fourteen
organizations, whereas RFS members are members of thirteen
organizations. The break down in social class category has
the lower class represented in thirteen organizations and the
upper class represented in fourteen organizations. There

are little, if any, differences between any of the categories.

TABLE 2

ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIP BY SOCIAL
CLASS AND RECIPROCAL FRIENDSHIP

 

 

 

 

Categories of Number of Club Memberships

Reciprocal Friendship

and Social Class O l 2 3 4 more Totals

Lower isolates 1 1 1 1 0 0 4
Upper isolates O O 4 O O O 4
Lower RFS members 0 2 1 l O O 4
Upper RFS members 0 3 O l O O 4
Totals 1 6 6 3 0 O 16

 

Number and Location of Elementary Schools Attended

The indication of higher mobility in the upper social
classes is presented here. One-half of the total upper social
class population attended more than three elementary schools.
The other one-half attended only one elementary school. Of
the lower social class, seven out of eight attended one

elementary school and one attended two local elementary

schools.

26
Rating of Appearance

Williams, in analyzing appearance as was previously
determined by the interviewer, observed that the lower RFS
groups had half of its aenbers rated as average.- The
other half was equally divided between "above" and "below"
average appearance. Aga in the reader is reminded that A
there is possibility of a subjective, rather than an objective
observation being provided by the interviewer.

A greater contrast is evidenced in comparing isolates
of differing social class. Three out of four of the upper
class were rated "above" average, with the remaining one
rated as "average". The distribution for lower class isolates
were divided equally between "average" and "below" average
in appearance. Isolates in both categories equalled RFS

members in receiving "above" average citations.

TABLE 3

DISTRIBUTION OF RATDNG OF APPEARANCE BY'INTERVIEWER
BY SOCIAL CLASS AND RECIPROCAL FRIENDSHIP

 

Categories of

 

Reciprocal Friendship Above Below
and Social Class Average Average Average Totals
Lower Isolates 0 2 2 4
Upper Isolates 3 l O 4
Lower RFS neabers l 2 1 4
Upper RFS members 2 2 O 4

 

Totals 6 7 3 l6

 

27
Summary

Although a thorough search was made, it was im-
possible to obtain four completely similar groups based
on social class with which to work. Both groups of
isolates contained solely upper and lower social class
representatives, but a totally lower social class RFS
group was unobtainable. Information for this study was,
however, taken from the group with the most lower class
representatives.

The upper class category had more fathers who had
some college education. More upper class fathers had
white collar positions. All but one of the lower class
fathers worked at blue collar employment. The upper class
were more mobile than the lower class. The lower class
reported more siblings than the upper class. The upper
class were rated higher by the interviewers on appearance.

The following chapter will delve into this population

herein described through case studies.

CHAPTER Iv
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF SIXTEEN CASE STUDIES

Introduction

This chapter will contain the compiled information
on the sixteen preselected subjects presented in the form
of case studies. Information was derived from a ques-
tionnaire,1 a structured interview,2 and a free response
to selected illustrations.3

For clarity it is necessary to remind the reader of
some important factors. All of the information was
available on all of the subjects except one. One lower
class isolate was not available for the T.A.T. Consideration
must be taken of the fact that in the questionnaire, some
answers were not filled in, hence information was incomplete.
It must also be noted that the "rating by interviewer"
of appearance of the subjects was a subjective rating of
an adult rating an adolescent, rather than an adolescent
rating his peer. Some of the girls were most loquacious,
giving considerable resource material with which to work.
Others, however, could be described as taciturn, therefore

making case study less lengthy.

 

1wass, op. cit.
2Bjorngaard, op. cit.

3Kelley, op. cit.
25

29

Considerable reference is made to "service oriented"
organizations by this researcher. This is taken to include
organizations such as the Girl Scouts, hospital aides,

4-H, etc. Because of the limited number of subjects in
this study, it was felt that any direct reference to too
many specific categories might indicate certain girls, thus
breaking our promised pledge of anonimity. we furthered

our pledge of anonimity by using fictitious names for each

of these case studies.

To aid in understanding of some of the responses
tabulated, a review of the three situational stories
presented to each girl is included. The responses are
indicated on the case studies.

If you heard that everyone on "dress up" day was
going to wear a sweat shirt to school and at the
last minute they changed their minds, but you were
not notified and were one to school: what would
you do when you saw them dressed differently?

Jean is a new girl in the ninth grade in East
Lansing High School. Her appearance is neat and
clean. Her favorite combinations are plaid skirts
and flowered blouses. Would you consider her well
dressed?

Michelle recently moved to East Lansing from Cali-
fornia. Her first day at East Lansing High school

she noticed that she was the only girl wearing colored
bobby socks which were popular in California. She
came home and told her mother that she had to buy
heavy white socks so that she would be like all the
other girls. Her mother thought this was rather
foolish since all her colored socks matched her out-
fits. Do you think it is important for Michelle to
have bobby socks like the other girls?1:2.

 

1Bjorngaard, op, cit. (See Appendix for complete instrument)

2Due to excessive use of Bjorngaard, wass, Williams,
and Kelley studies in this research, footnoting will hence-

forth cease unless called for by specific reference.

30
CASE STUDY 110 I

Four brothers and more than four sisters1 make
Lorraine's family a very active one. Her father, who
graduated from grade school, provides for this large,
Catholic family by working as an auto repairman. One
cannot say "solely provides for", for Lorraine did indi-
cate that some other person did halp support the family
financially, but answered "no", to "if yes, explain whd'
She attended only one public School prior to her entry.
to high school. She finds time to belong to three
difersified clubs-eons language and two recreationally
oriented.

With a very high clothing awareness, Lorraine
was rated "abome average" by the interviewer. She
generally felt "very satisfied" about her wardrobe, but
was quite inconSistent about how she felt dressed at
different occasions. Ranging from a feeling of "better
dressed" than others at school functions; through
"average" on occasions, such as church and homo; she
felt "not as well dressed" at basketball games. She's
not interested in changing, though, for she feels that
concerning herself there is "very little she would
change". The only change she did indicate that she
would like to make would be to "cut my hair", but she

indicated that her "parents want it longer, and I

 

1The only response available was ”more than 4”.

31 _
respect my parents wishes, so I wear it long". She re-
peated her need of parental approval again in her response
that their approval meant the most to her in her selec-
tion of clothes.

A conformity pattern is difficult to determine
for her replies are diverse. She feels "no rules" should
regulate dress for "it really isn't their business and
I feel a person should be able to wear whatever she
wants". She doesn't think it important for Michelle to
buy white socks,if her colored ones matched her outfit.
"Who knows--she might start a fad here?" She felt Jean's
plaids and flowers "just doesn't match". If not
notified about her dress on dress-up day she would
"most likely find a place to hide". "I'd most likely
call Mom and go home and change my clothes." But because
"we often play jokes on each other", she wouldn't be
mad at her friends.

Of all those who responded to the T.A.T.'s, she was
the only one who indicated the picture depicting the
fat lady shouldn't be shown because "someone's Mother
might be fat".

The following year this confused isolate became
an accurate perceiver with four others in a four member
lower social class RFS. She was not a member of the school

population in 1963964.

32
CASE STUDY 105 I

Iris is a lower social class self isolate of
average height with a heavy build. She has a ppor
complexion and although her clothing was considered
"o.k." by the interviewer, her hair was unkempt and
unclean.

Her father had some high school training and
supports his family by working in a local factory. Her
mother is employed in an office. Iris has one sister.

She goes to a Protestant church, but has not been very
regular in her attendance. Her two organizational
activities are both service oriented.

She finds making friends difficult, and also
feels that although she rated herself "average" regarding
both wardrobe and appearance, she does not feel her
clothes are as "pretty as theirs". She laments the fact
that she has to wear the "same clothes two or three times
a week" while "they always have different clothes on".

"I have to wear bobby socks while they wear nylons and knee
socks." Her mother suggests that she "doesn't associate",
and therefore finds making friends difficult. Iris feels
that even if she could make all the changes she would like
to in herself, she still wouldn't be popular.

A felling of inferiority is still indicated by her
negative responses to the questions dealing with satisfaction

of general appearance and hair, but she was usually satis-

33
fied with her complexion(which was rated ”poor" by the
interviewer), and also usually satisfied with her wardrobe.

Even though she was an isolate, who made no choices
of friends, she rated the dress of her group "about the
same" as others in the school. She said that other groups
"are always going down town and buying new clothes".

Her clothing awareness was very low which may be an
indication why she thought it was ”o.k." for girls to wear
a combination of flowers and checks. If not forewarned
about the change in plans on dress-up day she would "feel
foolish" and feel as if she "should have been notified".
She would handle the sitaation by "removing the sweatshirt
and wearing the blouse underneath". Conformity pressures
(or is it lack of awareness?) seem to escape Iris again
for she felt it wasn't necessary to buy white socks "just
'cause all others were wearing them". She felt the only
rules regarding clothing should be in avoiding the wearing
of slacks and shorts. It is important to note that Iris
was named six times by all the upper social class members
in the ninth grade as being "not dressed right".

She was accepted into a mixed social class RFS the

following year, and became a confused isolate in 1963-64.

CASE STUDY 154 I

Of the sixteen girls under study at this time,
Cheryl's file offered theleast information. Not only were

there only two of the three instruments availaib for

3.:
research, but her responses to the available instruments
were terse and generally not clearly stated.

She is the only girl in a family of five. Her
father was graduated from the eighth grade and supports
the family by working as a large machine operator. The
family attends a Protestant church. Cheryl has attended
only one other public school prior to admittance into
high school and that school was in the same community.
Her organizational activity is limited to one rural
influenced group.

She consistently rated herself "above average"
in clothing related questions and thought her wardrobe
was "the same as the other kids". She felt there was
"very little" she would change about herself. She demon-
strated an average clothing awareness score but was
judged "not dressed right" by two girls in the study.

Her satisfaction seems high with her existing
wardrobe in the reply to the question that she "never"
refused to go any place because her clothes weren't
right, DOE wished She hadn't gone some place because
her clothes weren't right.

She named two girls as most popular, but negated
any idea that the clothes of these girls were different
or that their clothes influenced their popularity. After
first replying negatively, she did, as an after thought
name two girls who were best dressed, but named no one as

not dressed right for she said she doesn't "pay much attention

35
to their clothes".

Even if not evidenced in actual practice, she did
indicate some knowledge of clothing saying that Jean shouldn't
wear plaids and flowers "cause they Just don't go together".
Although she felt colored bobby socks "looked funny" she
didn't think it was that necessary to go out and buy white
ones Just to conform, "but", she added, "if you wanted
'em bad enough, get 'em". Her only indication of wanting
to feel like the group is shown in her reaction to not
being notified regarding the change in plans for dress
up day. She would feel like "crawling in a hole".

There is no record for Cheryl for 1962-63.

CASE STUDY 109 I

Jeanette is a lower social class, ignored isolate.
She attends a Catholic church with her family, which includes
two other sisters. Jeanette does not belong to any organi-
zations. Her father, who had some high school training,
supports his family by working for a relative in a small
machine shop. Her previous school history includes
attendance in one other school, a parochial elementary school.

She rates a high awareness and considers herself
about average in clothing satisfaction. She is "usually
satisfied" with her wardrobe and only feels "not as well
dressed" at home. She seeks the approval of her friends in
deciding upon clothing selection. She feels no rules

regarding clothing are necessary. If not notified regarding

36

the change of dress on dress up day, she would feel "awful"
mad", and "would go home and change". This need to be like her
companions does not carry through to the next answer, how-
ever. For she does not feel it necessary for Michelle to
purchase white socks. The colored ones would be most
suitable, if they match. "That's what I wore when I came"
to high school and "some still do".

She definitely felt that plaids and flowers worn
by Jean, "don't go". Only two of the five T.A.T. responses
were clothing related.

Her social acceptance pattern changed the following
year allowing her to be included in a lower social class
RFS of four members. She was not a member of the school

population in 1963-64.

Conclusions.

The similarity of pattern for lower social class
isolates seems evident in some of the following ways. They
were alike in number of schools previously attended-~one.
Each girl's father was a high school graduate. All were
church members, although not of the same faith.

They were in seventy-five per cent agreement on
selection of the best dressed girl and similarity of choice
of favlrite T.A.T. picture. The picture chosen dealt
with a school-type setting.

In replying to the situational stories, they were
in total agreement regarding Michelle's white socks. All

felt it "not necessary" to purchase them. They agreed

33

totally again on the way they would feel if not notified
regarding dress change. All disclosed they would feel out
of place and strange. Three girls would choose not to
approve of Jean's choice of flowers and plaids.

In answering"whose approval of clothing was important"
two replied, "mother" one replied "friends", and one gave
the only "don't really care" answer of the entire population

under study.
CASE STUDY no.1

Shirley was rated by one interviewer as an
"outgoing, talkative" girl and by another as a "compulsive
talker, overanxious to be of help". She appeared well
groomed, neat, with an elaborate hair style and used make-
up, but not too obviously.

Shirley comes from a family of two children, her-
self and a brother. Her father graduated from college
and now heads a local insurance agency. She adds that
another person does add to the financial support of the
family but neglected to say who.

Shirley belongs to two service-oriented organizations,
one which is related to the hospital and one to the church.
She has attended only one school prior to entrance into
high school, but that too, was in the community.

She has a high total clothing awareness score and
is satisfied with her wardrobe. She feels "about average"

or "better dressed" than her companions and finds nothing

35

that she would like to change about herself.

Shirley is an ignored isolatel, even though she did
name four best friends. A precocious girl, she describes
herself as one who "gets along better with adults" and
"prefers to go with Juniors rather than Freshmen". She
does not go to the drug store (local "hang out") any more
with the gang because she indicated she felt a little
"too mature" for this. However, in a different part of
the interview she described herself as "loud" and "if you
haven't guessed it--I'm a nervous child". This seems to
be a direct reversal of the "mature" indication above.

Her parents exert a great influence on her life.

”I have no best friend", she related "not too many I could
classify as a close friend. They must suit me and my
parents.” Her parents must be pleased in clothing selection
also, for as she indicated "Ilive with them". Her parents,
too, have decided, because they know someone on the staff

of the near-by university, she will be sent away to school.

She is very upset when she has a disagreement with
her parents or when they argue. She quotes her mother as
saying she "lives in a dream world", indicating that argu-
ments do occur in reality and she should get used to them.
Regarding one T.A.T. (IV) where three people are pictured,
a mature man, a woman, and a young man, she indicated they
must be his parents for "a young adult won‘t listen so
intently to anybody but his parents". Again this parental

influence is reflected in her solution to Michelle's

39
problem with the white socks. Shirley would wear White
socks "if my Mother told me to do so”.

. Girls from the "slum area who dress improperly"
and are "chumpy(fat)" annoy her. She keeps wondering
"how they get out of the house. My mother wouldn't let
me out". She finds she liked the second T.A.T. picture
with the overweight person the least. Her reason :

because I haven't been able to gain weight. So

I see a fat person and Just think-~how lucky can

you get--yet they don't realize if they Just loose

a little of that, I'd love to have what they've

got.

She doesn't feel that money is necessary for good taste.
”It (taste) should be second nature." She indicated Jean
was "not dressed right" in flowers and plaids.

One T.A.T. response (III) brings out a very
sophisticated outlook. She described the two women, one
high styled, one moderately dressed, and noted that the
reason the moderately dressed woman is "usually a well-
to-do person". "I have found usually they don't dress out
of the extreme sonot to bring attention on themselves.

The only real action you might think of that you could tell
that she might be of the upper bracket is the fact that she
has on a huge ring on her left hand."

Shirley's isolation may come from too much mother
influence in selection of friends, clothes, etc. A great
deal of influence by her parents is exerted by her responses

regarding "their" opinion in clothing selection, "their"

choice of college, her feelings when "they argue". Her

no
decision not to go with the crowd to the drug store may
really be maturity, or again, it may be mother's idea.
The following year she was incorporated with another
upper class isolate into a large thirty-four member RFS.

They continued as a dyad in another RFS the third year.
CASE STUDY 100 I

Pauline is an upper social class, confused
isolate who has two brothers and one sister. Her father,
who has had advanced education, is on the faculty of a
nearby university and her mother does not work away from
home.

Pauline and her family attend the Catholic church
where she belongs to the Religious Study Club. All but
one of her four previously attended schools were located
in different cities and states.

Pauline seems to have clothing in the proper per?
spective and although being aware of its importance, she
doesn't allow it to rule her. She partakes in all the
adolescent clothing related activities by frequently
"window shopping" and "reading fashion magazines", but only
occasionally are these involved with other friends.

Her feeling concerning her personal wardrobe is
one of satisfaction and she usually feels well dressed.
Because she considers that he has "good taste", her father's
approval of her clothing choices is most important to her.

It is interesting to note that on the six questions

41
involving the "best way for a new girl to get in with the
girls", she didn't mention clothing or appearance once, but
did rate "consideration and friendliness"as more important.

Although she did not feel Jean, who was neat and
clean but in plaids and flowers did dress well, she
qualified her answer by indicating that sometine this might
be a1right--"you never can tell". She also listed no ninth
grade girls as "not dressed right". She did not think it
necessary for Michelle to purchase white socks, for they
"wouldn't be noticed anyway." She indicated no feeling
regarding the sweatshirt incident because she "wouldn't'
have worn a sweatshirt in the first place".

Her T.A.T. responses were most verbal, but those
relating to clothing are few. Appearance responses as to
age concern "gray hair", "baldness", "by the way he looks",
but not by clothing actually worn.' .

The lack of apparent awareness of importance of
clothing related factors may be due to the fact that her
early school experiences were in parochial schools. It
would be interesting to know if uniforms were worn. This
would make a difference in her responses regarding choosing
and making friends. If not depended upon in formative years,
clothing may not be of primary importance in developing
friendships at this age.

The following year Pauline became an accurate per-
cerive naming and hence being named by four friends. They

were incorporated into a large thirty-four member combined

42
middle and upper social class RFS. She continued member-

ship in an RFS in 1963—6“.
CASE STUDY 17 I

Mildred is a neat, fashionably dressed girl of
average height and slender build. Her father graduated
from college and is an executive with a utility company.

He is also involved in politics. Her mother does not work
outside the home. She has one brother. Her two affiliations
include one religious and one musical organization.

She has attended three previous schools-~two in
another city and one in East Lansing. She is listed as
a confused upper social class isolate, which means that the
choices of friends made by Mildred were not matched by
those she received.

She is satisfied with herself and would not
"change anything" about herself. If she dated a boy, she
would, however, "dress fancier". She rated herself "about
average" and "a little bit better" in comparing her clothes
with other girls. She considers her wardrobe "large".

Mildred indicates a need for conformity by relating
that she would feel "odd and unhappy and a little mad" if
the girls failed to notify her of a change in attire on
dress up day. She would go home and change at lunch time.
This conformity shows through again in her advice to Michelle,
who was the character in the situational story who came from

California with the colored socks. She would advise

#3
Michelle as a new student, to "blend" in with everyone and
get white socks. '"She can try to persuade them to change
after she's accepted". She thought Jean's choic of plaids
and flowers would be "o.k." because "she's well dressed.
After I get to know her I'd suggest something about plaid
skirts and flowered blouses". Mildred's conformist feeling
looms again in her feeling for a necessity for rules to
avoid the wearing of "crazy clothes".

There seems to be a general theme of turbulance in
her T.A.T. responses, even though her previous replies '
indicated tranquility. These words and phrases were quite
evident : "Jealousyg, "angry because he was bumped",
"they'll have a big fight", "bragging" man received by
"bored" man, "fight”.

Mildred's social acceptance category changed the
following year from that of an ignored isolate to an ac-
curate perceiver listing and being reciprocated by one
girl and thence included into a large almost entirely
upper social class RFS. In her Junior year she returned

to her original category of confused isolate.
CASE STUDY 58 I

Frances, an upper social class, confused, isolate
is the only child of two working parents. Her father fowns
hes own business and her mother does part time sales work.

Frances belongs to two organizations, which are

both outSide school. She attended only one other school

ugh
before entering high school. Both were in the same
community.

She was rated as well dressed by her interviewer.
She received one of the highest scbres on clothing awareness
in this study. Her total responses were most verbal with al-
most every answer clothing-related in some way. After
making each response so clothing related, her answer to
what she thought was most important in choosing a friend
was "personalitye-I'm not interested if she is a top
fashion in school-esheerfulness". So even in a negative
manner, clothes were again part of her response.

Need for parental support is still evident in that
her parents seem to influence her greatly as is evidenced
in these two responses. When asked Ihose opinion she res-
pected regarding clothing, she replied "my father's" and
she also indicated her mother made many of her clothes
and she indicated she was "most satisfied" with then.

She felt rules were necessary for dress in school, but
advised us not to "get carried away with it" and require
uniforms.

She "may feel a little out of place" if uniformed
regarding the change in dress on dress up day, but indicated
it wouldn't be the only one". An indication of lack of need
for conformity shows up in her answer to the question of
Michelle wearing white socks. She thought it unnecessary
to deliberately go out and buy white socks. She gave an

emphatic "definately no" to the acceptability of Jean's

45
plaids and flowers.

When the same sociometric question was administered
to the group the following year, Frances was incorporated
into a five member upper social class RFS chain. In her
Junior year she changed her friendship pattern again to

become a member of a completely different RFS.

Conclusions

Social isolates demonstrate some similarity and this
is evidenced here by the following points. Their fatherp,
who are all professional men, had the highest educational
score. The girls each belonged to two organizations.

Three out of four named the same girl (#122) as the most
popular, and two of these isolates named this same girl
as "best dressed". Two of the four girls named the same
girl(#153) as "not dressed right".

’ Upper Social class isolates demonstrated the highest
total clothing awareness score of all four groups. They
all felt "better than average" in regard to clothing. It
is interesting to note that three of the four girls indi-
cated their parents' approval meant the most to them in
making clothing selections. The other named parents second
after "kids" in the same question. Only two thought
Michelle should get white socks to conform to the established
pattern. Three thought Jean was not acceptable in her
combination with the fourth saying they could offer help to
her after they knew her. Three would feel very out of

145
place if they were not notified of the change of dress,
and the fourth declared they "wouldn't have worn it in the

first place".
CASE STUDY 101 C

Mellissa is one of four children of a lower social
class family. Her father, who completed only the eighth
grade in school, provides solely for this family by working
as a production worker. The family attends a local Pro-
testant church where Mellissa sings in the choir. This is
her only group affiliation.

She was rated "above" average by her interviewer,
but seemed overly critical of herself. She thought she was
"too skinny", had hair that was unmanageable "when I get
out of swimming", and of her complexion--"sometimes I have
a lot of pimpleS". The interviewer commented there was
no evidence of a bad complexion and rated her hair "clean
and neat". Mellissa demonstrated a high clothing awareness
score. It is interesting to note that she made reference
to clothing in every T.A.T. identification.

Two themes, one of need for adult guidance, and the
other for conformity are indicated in her answers to
questions on the interview. She indicated a necessity for
rules regarding clothing to avoid "skin tight" clothes. She
then answered, in regard to the situational story involving
the new girl from California who had colored socks rather

than the accepted white socks, that she felt white socks

A7
were not necessary, but she would buy them "if mother wishes".
Mellissa would "about drop" and "be mad if no one told" her '
about the change in plans regarding wearing sweatshirts on
dress up day. She would "feel funny and out of place".
For Mellissa, the approval of her friends is most important
in selection of clothing. She did not consider Jean
well dressed "because of her combination of clothes".

Is it not interesting to note that her need for
conformity is not consistent, but is dependent upon the
situation-~nonconformity in sock choice, and conformity in
sweatshirt decision? It would be interesting to discover
her feeling if her mother suggested she wear the sweat-
shirt even through it were dress up day.

An RFS member, she continued in the same category
the following year with the small group growing to a
large, twelve member, thoroughly socially mixed RFS. She
was no longer a member of the high school population in

1963.
CASE STUDY 102 c

Vivian, an RFS member, is an only child of lower
social class parents. Her father works as a production
worker and they attend a Protestant Church. She is a
member of one service-oriented organization.

Rated neither fashionable, nor appropriately
dressed by her interviewer, she was rated "not dressed

right" more than any other girl (11 times). Her clothing

#8

awareness scores were low, but her satisfaction was very
good for she felt "very satisfied" with her wardrobe and
"usually" satisfied with her appearance. She rated her-
Self "about average" in all clothing situations and indicated
she would like to "stay very much the same". She rated
both herself and her four member RFS group as "the same"
as all other groups in the school regarding dress. She
neglected to name any "best dressed" girl in the ninth
grade, because they "all dress the Same-oso no one is best
dressed". She also Said that "no girls" do not dress right.
These responses may all be related to the fact she recorded
one of the lowest total awareness scores on the three
instruments.

Her mother's opinion is most important to her in
regard to selection of clothing, because her mother
"knows more about clothes than I would, so I take her opinion
more". It would be interesting to administer this test
to Vivian's mother, this researcher feels, to determine
her clothang awareness.

In the situational story discussing Jean, who
wore plaids and flowers, Vivian felt that Jean was well
dressed "'cause she's neat and what she picks goes to-
gether".' Michelle's colored socks, in the situational
story regarding the girl who transferred from California,
would make "no difference" to Vivian, even though every
one else were wearing shite socks. She, likewise, "wouldn't

be bothered " if she showed up in a sweatshirt on dress up

49

day. Her T.A.T. responses were taciturn, with only a
passing, slight reference to any clothing indicator. She
chose as her favorite T.A.T. picture the one that most
resembled a school situation.

Her RFS developed into a rather diverse twelve
member network including five lower social class Imembers,
three middle and four upper social class members. The

following year, 1963-64, she became an ignored isolate.
CASE STUDY 103 C

LaVOnne has three sisters and one brother. Her
father, a high school graduate, is sole supporter of
this lower social class family. He earns his livelihood
as a skilled laborer. LaVOnne belongs to three clubs,
which as the highest organizational membership registered
for the sixteen subjects. Her school enrollment has all
been within the community in two schools.

Evidencing a high clothing awareness, she rates
herself "about average" and is usually satisfied with her
wardrobe. She was named "best dressed" once by a lower
social class isolate. There is an indication of good
clothing satisfaction in her reply that she felt "better
dressed" at home and at games than others her age. It
should be noted that although her interviewer rated her
as "a neat clean girl" a notation was added that her

"b1ouse was barely ironed".

A lower social class RFS member, she rated her group

50
as one that dresses as well as other groups. Here, too,
it should be noted that of her groups one member was
listed as not dressing right by eleven girls and another
member of the group was named once as "not dressing right".

Her T.A.T. responses were noncommittal and seemed.
to make a greater reference to surroundings, time of day,
and general appearance first before specifically indicating
a clothing related response. Her favorite T.A.T. picture
was most indicative of school(#l). '

LaVbnne expresses some need for being like the
other girls in her replies to the three situational stories.
She thought Jean definitely should not wear plaids and
flowers "mostly 'cause the other girls don't". She felt
Michelle "would feel better-«more at case if she were like
other girls--then she would find it less hard to adjust
to the school life here." So her recommendation would be
to buy white socks like the other girls. She seeks the
approval of "the kids I run around with" in regard to
clothing approval, "cause they have to look at me".

It is interesting to note that she would not be
bothered nor feel any different if she were not notified
regarding the change of dress on dress up day. She would
"laugh about it" and felt as if someone had forgotten to
tell her. She did not think she would feel "funny" because
most of the people would know what had happened. .

In determining best friends for the next year, she

remained with her old friends, but her RFS grew from four

51
members to a mixed social class RFS of twelve members. It

was found that in 1963-6h she had remained with her dyad

throughout the three years.
CASE STUDY 104 C

Lillian is the only accurate perceiver and middle
social class member of a four person predominantly lower
social class RFS. Her father solely supports his Protestant
family of two daughters and one son as an office manager.
Lillian finds time to be a member of two service-oriented
organizations.

A neat, appropriately dressed girl of average
height and heavy build, she wore little make-up. She is
"usually satisfied" with her wardrobe and would not like
to change anything about herself. She generally feels
"better dressed" or "about average" in clothing satisfaction
in comparison with others her age.'

She shows an average clothing awareness and feels
that clothes do make a difference in the actions of people.
"Slacks make me NOT want to study", but "in nylons and
heels" she "wants to go away and visit someone." The
influence of clothing upon people's action is evidenced
again in Lillian's response to the question if there are
girls at School who do not dress right. She associated
girls who are "not dressed right" as those who "don't

care if they flunk outa-tend to be on the wild Side and
are tardy. "

52
Her parents approval in regard to clothing means the
most to her, because "they buy my clothes". The need for
parental approval is indicated again in the fact that she
relates that "mother's suggestions are followed regarding
clothing choices".
Conforming to a group in regard to clothing practices

does not seem to be a problem to Lillian. She indicated
the would "feel as normal as ever“ if she showed up
wearing a Sweatshirt for "if I didn't want to wear it in
the first place, I wouldn't have worn it." She "wouldn't
do anything" about changing it. She also felt the colored
socks of the girl from California would not make any difference
and suggested they be replaced only "when they are worn
out or faded". She considered Jean's choic of clothes in
"poor taste", but did add that "wearing one or the other
with something plain, then she would be well dressed".
It is interesting to note that she listed no friends who
didn't dress right, although one member of her RFS was
named more times than any other by the total population as
being "not dressed right".

- Her RFS structure grew the next year to incorporate
twelve girls of mixed social class members. The dyad of

104-103 remained together for the three years.

Conclusions

 

It seems that more similarity is evidenced by the

lower social class RFS group members than by any other

53
group being studied. All four girls are Protestant, three

being members of the same church. Three of the four had
attended only one previous school and three selected the
T.A.T. most resembling a school situation as their favorite.
This could be because this situation is the one most familiar
to their more limited experience. Three of the four named
the same girl (#124) as both best dressed and most popular.

The lower social RFS mbmers are equally divided
regarding clothing approval. Two sought parental approval
and two thought "friends" approval most important.

In reference to the situational stories, only one
thought it necessary for Michelle to purchase white socks.
The other three agreed it was not necessary. In determining
the acceptance of flowers and plaids, two felt it was
definitely in poor taste. One said it was not acceptable
"because the other girls don't wear it" and the last approved.
Only one would "feel funny" if she were not notified re-
garding a change of dress.. The other three felt it would

make no difference.
OAS! STUDY 98 C
Gina is the only girl in a family of five. Her
father is a college graduate and now is a regional super-
visor for a data processing company. They have been very
mobile since her schooling began so she has attended three

schools in another city in this state and two other schools

in two separate cities in another state.

54

She is an upper social class member of a four member
RFS of whom all members are upper social class. She also
finds time to belong to two athletic organizations and one
service organization. She does not go to church.

Rated "fashionable" by her interviewer, she wore
no make up. She was "very satisfied" with her wardrobe
and always felt "better dressed" than others her age.

Her mother's approval meant the most to her in regard to
selection of clothing. Although she did indicate that there
were girls who did not dress right, she did not know them
by name.

Conforming to the group seems to depend upon the
situation for Gina. For even though she did not think that
"colored socks" wouldmake any difference, and "it would
be sorta fooliSh " if her family could not afford it to
have to go out and buy them. She would feel "very stupid
and mad" if she were not notified about a dreSs change on
dress up day. She would, however, "wear it all day".

Although an RFS member, she completely changed
friendship patterns the next year and linked with a large
eighteen member exclusively upper social class RFS. She

was not a member of the school population in 1963a64.
CASE STUDY 90 C

Polly, her brother, and her sister live with their
Catholic, college educated parents in an upper social class

neighborhood. Her parents both work: her father as an

55

executive with a local company and her mother as a teacher.
Her educational experience has been entirely within the
community, attending one public school prior to her entrance
in high school. Polly is a member of one club--a language
club.

She was rated by her interviewer as a "tall, neat,
very fashionable" girl. She consistently rated herself as
"dressed better" than her companions, except when at
home where she felt "about average". Although she would
like to change a few things about herself, she did not
indicate what these were. She was generally satisfied
with her wardrobe.

It is interesting to note that she did not name
any person to either "most popular" or "not dressed right"
categories. Her reasoning for not naming a "most popular"
girl was that such titles are for Junior'high and "die A
out in senior high". '

Peer approval and the need to conform to group
clothing behavior patterns is indicated in her responses
to the interview. The opinions of "guys" was listed first
as to whose approval meant the not to her regarding clothing.
She said she would "faint" if not notified regarding the
change of dress on dress up day. She thought it was im»
portant for Michelle to buy white Socks "'cause they didn't
cost that much". '

Adult supervision was indicated as a need for Polly.

She feels that rules are necessary or "everybody would wear

56
what they wanted to ".
The RFS of which she was a member grew the following
year to the largest in the class containing thirty-four
members of mixed social class, both upper and middle
social class. She completely changed her friendship structure

in 1963 linking with a nearly equally divided eleven member

upper and middle social class RFS.
CASE STUDY 84 C

valerie and her three sisters are members of an
upper social class catholic family. Her father is a pro-
fessional man. valerie belongs to one religious organi-
zation.

Rated "very fashionable" by her interviewer, she
evidenced a rather high clothing awareness. She rated
herself "about average" on certain occasions, and usually
considered herself "better dressed" than others her age.
There are some things she would like to change about here
self, but these were more indicative of social acceptance
rather than clothing behavior. (She indicated she would
like to be more friendly.) DresSing up makes her feel

more mature.

A member of a four member upper social class RFS
she feels that it is easy to make friends at school. Her
own approval, rather than her friends, is most important
to her in regard to clothing selection.

Although her mother does not make suggestions re-

57

garding clothes any more, she did feel the need for some
adult supervision. She thought there would be some school
rules to eliminate "peg pants for boys and tight, short
skirts for girls". '

A need for conformity seems to be indicated in her
responses. She thought Michelle should buy white socks
"'cause she might feel self conscious if she didn't". valerie
also indicated she would feel "self conscious" and "out
of placen-funny" if no one notified her of the change in
plans regarding wearing sweatshirts on dress up day. She
would "go home and change at lunch".

' Her T.A.T. responses all evidence clothing aware-
ness. "She's dressed different than the others"(I);
"She's not stylishly dressed" (II); from the way he is
dressed he "might be a gas station attendant" (III);
IVA-"he's dressed like a football player; and Ve-"they
look like they are Chinese or something". She liked
III best for it looked as if "the social worker is giving
helps—they look like nice people". She disliked II
"because no one really should do that-~look at a person that
way and keep their feelings to themselves."

In 1962 she became a member of a large thirty-four
member, almost equally divided upper and middle social
class RFS. In l963~64 she became an accurate perceiver
nameing two best friends and with her original dyadic

relationship transferred to another large RFS.

58
CASE STUDY 130 C

Nanette has one brother. Her father has a sales
personnel Job with a local automotive plant, although he
has only a high school education. An upper social class
family, they attend a nationality division of the Catholic
church, where Nanette also belongs to the youth group.
An extremely mobile family, they have lived in four widely
separated states where Nanette has attended school.

Her interviewer rated her as "neat, fashionable
and appropriately dressed", but "not for the season".
(The time was late spring and she was wearing a wool skirt
and sweater.) A feeling of deprivation is evident in her
reactions to the questions of self rating on appearance
and clothes. She rated herself as "not as well dressed"
in all public appearances, "not very satisfied" with her
wardrobe. She responded that she did not "think I have
as many outfits. I don't have any straight skirts". Then
she added "they don't look good on me". She made a definite
connection between popularity and straight skirts-~"popular
girls wear straight skirts-~unpopular ones don't". ‘It is
important to here note that the interviewer rated her as
a short heavy girl. She rated her RFS a "little less
sharper or stylish" than the others.fl The approval of her
best friend(whom she also named as most popular) meant the
most to her regarding clothing choices.

She considered Jean, the girl who wore plaids and

59
flowers, not well dressed, and thought Michelle should get

white bobby socks for "you Just need to go along or you
won't get any place-~won't be accepted otherwise". Al-
though she would feel "terrible and mad at myself" for
wearing a sweatshirt on dress up day, she would make
"a Joke of it" and if she could not change, "would try to
make the best of it". The need at conform seems quite
evident in both of her wishes to wear skirts like the others
and to "go along" or you won't get any place. She believed
rules for clothing are necessary to eliminate extremes
of tightness or shortness in clothing.

She remained an accurate perceiver in her sophomore
year increasing her one reciprocated friendship to two.
She was incorporated into a large thirty-four member
upper-middle social class RFS. No longer an accurate
perceiver in 1963-64, she remained with her original best

friend and both transferred to another RFS.

Conclusions

 

To be a member of an RFS in itself must make one
somewhat similar to the ;other members. Similarity in
dress, social class, idols and ideals, and religion all
tend to draw pwople together. This is certainly evidenced
here in our view of an upper social class RFS.

Three of the four girls are bound together by the
same religious belief. All but one of their fathers' have

attended college and now work at white collar positions.

60
Three out of four belong to only one organization and
two of these three girls selected a religious club as her
choice.

They all thought that "rules" regarding clothing were
necessary. All were rated "fashionable" and "neat" by the
interviewer.7 Three of the four thought it beSt for Michelle
to purchase white socks. They were in total agreement that
Jean was not well dressed. They all expressed the same

view of being "self—conscious" "

mad" or "out of place"
if they were not notified of a change in plans on dress
up day. Only one, however, would "go home and change".
Three out of the four demonstrated high clothing
satisfaction in similar responses of "very satisfied"
regarding their wardrobe. They generally felt"better
dressed" on all occasions. I t
'In answering "whose approval means the most" re-
garding clothing selections, only one named "mother".
All others named an adolescent—neither themselves or other
friends (best friend, guys). There was no similarity in
responses to "most popular" nor "not dressed right". Only

two agreed upon a similar choice for "best dressed".

Summary
Regardless of her particular category of social

acceptance, similarities exist within both upper and lower
social class classifications. Of the seven lower social
class T.A.T. responses, six selected the T.A.T. picture most

resembling school as their favorite. The one picture

61
named most by the upper social class member was the only
one giving an indication of an upper level home. Both of
these selections could have been made because of familiarity
with the subjects.

The lower social class members were in agreement
more times than upper social class members concerning the
girls named "best dressed". This girl was also named
"best dressed" more times by the total ninth grade population.
Although scoring a combined higher clothing "awareness,"
only one upper social class member named this girl as best
dressed and only two agreed on selection of a "best
dressed" girl. The upper and lower social class members
were in equal agreement with three girls from each category
refusing to name a girl who was "not dressed right".

More lower social class members (seven out of eight)
decided it not necessary for Michelle to buy white socks.
Only three out of eight of the upper class members decided
not to buy white socks. It is possible an economic factor
could be the element of determinatinn here, rather than aware-
ness.

Five lower class members would feel out of place if
not notified regarding dress change. Seven of the upper
class members expressed the feeling that they would feel
upset if not notified.

The eight upper class members were in agreement that
Jean's flowers and plaids were not acceptable. One of these

eight offered to help her -in clothing selection. Only

62
five lower class members would think her unacceptable.
Although some small differences do occur, in general

all the subjects were more alike than dissimilar.

CHAPTER V
COMPARISON OF THREE METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION

IN REGARD TO CLOTHING AWARENESS

One purpose of this study was to determine if
similar results could be obtained from three distinct
methods of data collection. It was possible for clothing
awareness to be analyzed in this manned, for responses
regarding awareness were available from all three studies.

The wass questionnaire obtained results from a
specifically clothing-oriented chart, whereas the BJorn~
gaard instrument used in measuring clothing awareness
obtained free responses from acceptance oriented questions.
The Kelley study allowed for free response when pictures
were shown.

In tabulating total clothing awareness from all
three instruments, the highest total score was registered
by the upper isolates(l90), followed in order by upper
RFS (174), lower RFS group (157), and lower isolates(148).
The total scores of lower social class isolates and upper
RFS's were identical in their responses. Both groups
scored a low, high, and medium, respectively on the
Bjorngaard, wass, and Kelley awareness scores. (See chart

page 6h.)

Each girls score was totaled and was given a L, Mgor H
ranking. This ranking was determined by adding the low, medium,

and high range of scores for all three instruments. The resulting

ranges were used.

SCORE LOW MEDIUM HIGH
Instrument
Bjorngaard 1-2 3-4 5-6
Wass l-lO 11-20 21-30
Kelley l-l- ll-20 21-30

The total group totals were arrived at by multiplying

the awareness ranges by four(or the number of girls in each

category.
SCORE LOW MEDIUM. HIGH
Instrument
Bjorngaard 4-8 12-16 20-24
Wass 4-80 44-80 84-120

Kelley 4-40 44-80 84-120

64

CLOTHING AWARENESS AS DEMONSTRATED BY
CATEGORIES (F RECIPROCAL FRIENDSHIP AND SOCIAL CLASS
CATEGORIES

 

 

Categories of Instrument

Reac iprocal Friendship

 

 

 

 

 

and Social Class Bjorngaard ‘Hass Kelley Total
Lower class isolates
#110 L(2) H(28 M19) M49)
#105 1(1) M19) M16) M36)
#154 L(O) H(23) none L(23)
#109 M3) M23) M14) M40)
Totals L(6I M93) M49 M148)
Upper class isolates
# 58 M3) M27) M(18) M48)
# 17 M4) M27) M15) H946)
# 40 M3) M26) 11(34) M64)
#100 L(O) M21) M11) M32)
Totals M11) M101) M78) M190)
Lower class RFS members
#102 L(O) M14) L( 7) L(21)
#101 L(2) M20) H(23) M45)
#103 M4) H(27) H(23) MSA)
#104 11(6) M19) M12) M37)
Totals M12) M80) M65) M157)
Lower class RFS members
# 98 L(l) M22) M13) M36)
# 84 M4) M25) M19) M48)
# 90 L(l) H(23) H(28) H(52)
#130 M3) M16) M20) M39)
Totals L(9) H(86) M(80) H(l75)

65

The highest group scores were measured by the
Wass instrument, followed by the Kelley scores. The lowest
total awareness responses were measured by the Bjorngaard
instrument.

The dissimilarity of responses is likely to be due to
the varience in type of question, rather than difference
in instrument. Wheras wass begins "now we will ask you some
questions about clothing", no reference of this sort is made
by either other instrument. The T.A.T. pictures were def-
initely clothing-oriented because of the unusual clothing
worn by some of the characters. Absolutely no inference
relative to clothing was made by Bjorngaard.

In conclusion, it seems possible that similar
results still may be obtained from.different instruments
provided they all maintain a comparable degree of directness

or indirectness in regard to the particular item.under study.

CHAPTER VI
SUMMARY

It was the purpose of this study to analyze in
depth all the material on the selected sample to determine
(1) if the sixteen girls in the four categories of social
class and social acceptance conform in types of dress on
a specific occasion, (2) whether or not similar information
may be obtained from.the same respondent using different
methods of data collection, and (3) the degree of stability
that exists within these studied categories. This informa-
tion was obtained through three methods of investigation,
questionnaire, interview, and T.A.T. The data were pre-
pared into individual case studies to give a comprehensive
and concise analysis of each individual.relative to her
clothing awareness. Hillway refers to this as being one
of the unique factors in the case study method.1

An objective of this study was to determine whether
or not similar information may be obtained from the same
respondent using different methods of data collection.
Although resulting scores did not show consistent pattern,
this may be due to the direct and indirect measurement of

clothing awareness.

 

Hillway, op. cit. p. 21.
' 66

l

Ir
' v
w
4 l
u

 

 

 

 

67
To give a wider view of the acceptance and social
class continuum four pro-selected representatives of each
of the following groups were studied: (a) four members
of an upper social class RFS, (b) four members of a lower
social class RFS, (c) four uppersccial class isolates,
and (d) four lower social class isolates.

A In conclusion, it is the opinion of the researcher
that in general all of the sixteen girls, regardless of
esocial class or social acceptance, are more similar than
dissimilar. Nearly everyone indicated a feeling of being
"average" or "above average" in comparing their clothes
to that of others. A point of dissimilarity was regarding
responses to a situational story dealing with colored
and white bobby socks. The lower class members thought
it not as important as their upper class peers to purchase
the white socks. The sesearcher would like to know
whether this is due to an economic factor rather than one
of non-conformity.

In determining social acceptance patterns for three
years it was discovered that more lower class members
were no longer part of the high school population than were
upper class members. It would be interesting to note
whether this rate of drop-out is typical for this socio-
economic group, or is it due to the pressures created

by this atypical socio-economic situation?

\1

BIBLIOGRAPHY

tion.
r Irwin and Bass Bernard. (ed). Conformity and Devia
Be g, - New York: Harper and Bros., I961.

Arlene. "Relationship of Social Class and Social
Bjorngaard, Acceptance to Clothing and Appearance of
a Selected Group of Ninth Grade Girls.
unpublished Master's thesis, Michigan
State University, 1962.

Coleman, James S. The Adolescent Society. New YOrk: Free
Press,"l961.

Eicher, Joanne B. "Ninth Grade Girls' Opinions and Behavior
Related to Appearance, Role, Social Class
and Acceptance." Michigan State University
Experiment Station Project, in progress.

Goode, William J., and Hatt, Paul K. Methods in Social
Research . New York: McGraw-Hill, 1952.

 

 

Hillway, T. Introduction to Research. Boston: Houghton
. . Mifflin, 1956.

Horrocks, John E. The Psycholo of Adolescence. Boston:
Houghton Mi n, 1962.

 

 

Hurlock, Elizabeth. Adolescent Development. New‘Yonk:
McGrawbHill, 1955

 

Developmental Psychology. New York:
McGraw-Hill, 1956.

Kelley, Eleanor. "Analysis of Clique Influence on Individual
Responses Indicating Clothing Awareness
of Teen Age Girls ". Term paper presented
to Dr. Eicher, Michigan State University,

1963.

Rosencranz, Mary Lou. "The Application of a Projective

H -Technique for Analysing Clothing Awareness,
Clothing Symbols, and the Range of Themes
Associated with Clothing Behavior." unpub-
lished PhD Dissertation, Michigan State
University,.l960.

68

69
Silverman Sylvia. Clothing and Appearance: Their
’ Ps cholo ical Implications for Teen-
Age GirIs. New York: Bureau of Pufi-
Iications, Teachers College, Columbia
Uhiversity,.l945.

 

Smith, Mapheus. "Some Factors in Friendship Selection of
.High School Students" in Sociometry,
VII, l9hh. t

Reisman, David. The Lonely Crowd. New Haven and London:
’YaIe—UniversityPress,‘l96l.

Ryan, Mary S. "Psychological Effects of Clothing, Part I:
Survey of Opinions of College Girls".
Cornell University Agricultural Station,
Bulletin 882, September, 1952.

Wass, Betty. "Clothing as Related to Role Behavior of
Ninth Grade Girls". Unpublished Master's
thesis, Michigan State University, 1962.

Williams, Madelyn. "Opinions on Clothing, Appearance and
Social Acceptance as Factors of Group
Cohesion". Unpublished Master's thesis,
Michigan.State University, 1963.

APPENDIX

BA CKGROUND INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM
' ROLE BEHAVIOR s'rubrl

First, we would like some information about you.

1.

2.

3.

6.

Your name

 

 

 

a s
'Iast first middle

When were you born?

 

 

month day year

How many living brothers and sisters do you have?
(Circle the correct number on each line, the 0 if none.)

Brothers 0 l 2 3 4 ct more
Sisters 0 l 2 3 h or more

Who contributes most to the financial support of your
family?

Your father
Your mother

Some other person (Explain who this person
is. For example, "my Frother,’ "my uncle.") .

How far did this person mentioned above go in school?

No schooling

Some grade school

Graduated from grade school
Some high school
Graduated from high schoOI
Some college
Graduated from coIIege
Don't know

ther (expliin)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What does this person do for a living? (write in the
complete name or title of his or her job, not the company
he or she worki—for. )

 

 

1W'ass, op, cit.

71

PR __-4

D
, ”HIH
.l____.. :7 ._

- . her. i r -
———_« - _ -
_.___..__. he _ a. __... ..

 

9.
10.

11.

12.

13.

72

Describe as accurately as possible what this person

makes or does on the job. (For example : he supervises
the work of 15 office clerks: he sells from door to door;
he operates a farm of 160 acres; etc. )

 

 

Does any other person contribute to the financial support
of your family? Yes No

If yes, explain who. (mother, father, brother, etc.)
What does this person do? ' ”

 

What church do you go to?

 

How many clubs or organizations in school and outside of
school do you belong to?

None
One
Two
Three
Four or more __

 

 

 

 

Please list the clubs and organizations you belong to

 

What is the name and locations of the grade schools you
attended?

 

The people with who we share secrets and spend most of
our time are usually referred to as our "best friends."

Write the names of your two "best girl friends" in the
9th grade in the East Lansing High School. (If you only
have one person you consider a "best friend,’ write her
name only.)

I.
2.

If you have more than two "best girl frinds" in the 9th
grade, write the other names in the spaces below.

1.
2.

If your "best girl friends" are in another grade or in
another school, write their names in the spaces below.

Other Grade Other School
1. 1.
2. 2.

72

 

o
n
\

._ ..—__—» ...._.. ~—
4.... .-
Fq. _ 4- w—

 

 

CLOTHING OPINIONNAIRE
Section II

Now we will ask you some questions about clothing. Answer
them carefully and completely. This is not a test. There
are no right or wrong answers. We want to know what your
opiniOns. are. Different people will have different opinions.

How often do you do the following things? Check the
appropriate column.

 

UNITE
r Frequent. Frequent. Occasion. Seldom Never
Window-shop

for clothing
Look at or read
fashion magazines
Take specIaI*
notice of
clothing worn on
TV or in movies
Take special notice
of what people
around_you wear
Discusstiter
changes with
friends

Go shbpping

with friends

2. Compared to others of your age, how well do you usually
feel you are dressed for any occasion?

Better dressed
About average

Not as well dressed
Don't know

Ill

 

3. Describe what you are wearing today. Include details such
as a description of the style.

coat:

Main Garments(dress, skirt, blouse, etc.) :
Head Covering:

Shoes:

Stockings or bobby socks:

Purse:

Jewelry:

Other:

4. Do you like this outfit? Yes No If no, why
don't you like it? . ""' “"'

 

73

74

5. Compared to others of your age, how well do you usually
feel you are dressed for school?

Better dressed

About average

aNot as well dressed __
Don‘t know

 

 

Two girls who had been swimming went into a drug store still
wearing their swimming suits. The clerks looked at them
disapprovingly because they did not feel that swimming suits
were the proper thing to wear in a drug store. The purpose
of this section of the questionnaire is to ask you what
clothes are proper for various situations.

6. What kinds of clothes are proper for girls of your age
to wear to a church service on Sunday this winter?
(not what %g%_might wear in some instances or might
see worn, u what ig_pro§er to wear). Check all of
the items on this page c would be appropriate. If
you do not know what some of these items are, place a
O in front of that item.

 

 

_¥_coat of real fur like mink whimsey or veil

coat with real fur trim like scarf on head

mink small hat

Coat with raccoon collar large hat
“"boat of synthetic fur no head covering
"" lain colored dressy coat
___poat of bold, bright plaid mittens
_‘__coat of small check or plaid gloves
___car coat no gloves or mittens

leather jacket
ski parka or jacket

___suit shoes with 3" heels
___taffeta party dress " heels
___taffeta sheath dress flat, dressy shoes
___yool sheath dress loagers
‘___dress with full skirt tennis shoes
___sleeveless dress, no jacket sandals

sleeveless dress with jacket knee-high socks or

J

 

 

:::dress with low-cut neckline tights
.__;dress with high neckline nylons
—"bobby socks
___straight or slim skirt -—no stockings
pleated skirt ""'

'___flared skirt billfold, no purse
___full gathered skirt satin or velvet purse
kilts small leather purse
:cnee ticklems(skirt above medium-sized purse

the knees) large leather purse

 

tote bag

75

bulky knit sweater
pullover sweater
cardigan sweater
sweatshirt
tailored blouse
dressy blouse

T’HIHI

slacks

jeans

peddle pushers

culottes

'—_'Bermuda or Jamaica shorts
: short shorts

What kinds of clothes are proper for girls of your age
to wear to school this winter?

Remember not to check

what you might wear in some instances or might see worn,

but what is proper to wear?

coat of real fur like mink

coat with real fur trim like
mink'

coat with raccoon collar

coat of synthetic fur

plain colored dressy coat

coat of bold, bright plaid

coat of small check or plaid

car coat

leather jacket

ski parka or jacket

suit

taffeta party dress

wool sheath dress

dress with full skirt
sleeveless dress, no jacket
sleeveless dress with jacket
dress with lowacut neckline

dress with high neckline

straight or slim skirt

""pleated skirt
___ flared skirt
full gathered skirt
_— kilts
" knee ticklers(skirts above

the knees)

bulky knit sweater
pullover sweater
cardigan sweater
sweatshirt
tailored blouse
dressy blouse

whimsey or veil
scarf on head

small hat

large hat

no hat

mittens

gloves

no gloves or mittens

shoes with 3" heels
: 1 " heels
flat, dressy shoes
loafers
tennis shoes
sandals
knee-high socks or tights
nylons
bobby socks
no stockings

billfold, no purse
satin or velvet purse
small leather purse
medium-sized leather

purse
.___ large leather purse
____ tote bag

slacks

jeans

peddle pushers

culottes

Bermuda or Jamaica shorts
short shorts

CD
o

\O
o

76

What
wear

coat
coat
mink
coat with raccoon collar
coat of synthetic fur
plain colored dressy coat

coat of bold, bright plaid
coat of small check or plaid

car coat
leather jacket
ski parka or jacket

suit

taffeta party dress
taffeta sheath dress
wool sheath dress
dress with full skirt

sleeveless dress, no jacket
sleeveless dress with jacket
dress with low-cut neckline

dress with high neckline

straight or slim skirt

pleated skirt

flared skirt

full gathered dkirt

kilts

knee ticklers(skirt above
the knees)

bulky knit sweater
pullover sweater
cardigan sweater
sweatshirt
tailored blouse
dressy blouse

of real fur like mink-
with real fur trim like

kinds of clothes are proper for girss of your age to
to basketball games after school?

whimsey or veil
scarf on head

small hat

large hat

no hat

mittens

gloves

no gloves or mittens

shoes with 3? heels

1" heels .

flat, dressy shoes
loafers

tennis shoes

sandals

knee-high socks or tights
nylons

bobby socks

no stockings

billfold, no purse
satin or velvet purse
small leather purse
medium-sized leather

purse
large leather pursd
tote bag

slacks

jeans

peddle pushers

culottes

Bermuda or Jamaica shorts
short shorts

What kinds of clothes are proper for girls of your age“
to wear at home when they are watching TV or doing home-

work?

suit

taffeta Party dress
taffeta sheath dress
wool sheath dress
dress with full skirt

sleeveless dress, no jacket
sleeveless dress with jacket

shoes with 3" heels

1" heels .

flat, dressy shoes
loafers

tennis shoes

sandals

knee high socks or tights

77

dress with low-cut neckline nylons

sweatshirt
tailored blouse
dressy blouse

'-—_ dress with high neckline ____no stockings
"""" __ slippers

straight or slim skirt .___ slacks
“'— pleated skirt __ jeans
"‘" flared skirt ___ peddle pushers
'-"full gathered skirt culottes
‘—"kilts -__'Bermuda or Jamaica shorts
"“'knee ticklers (skirt above ::::short shorts
"" the knees)

bulky knit sweater ____housecoat, robe, or
""pullover sweater duster
I cardigan sweater ______ pajamas

10. Do you think a schhol should have any rules or regula-
tions concerning dress? Yes No. Why?

 

 

11. Are there any rules or regulations concerning dress in
your school? No Yes. If yes, what are they?z z

 

Who made these rules?'

.4

12. Generally, how do you feel about your wardrobe?

very satisfied

Usually satisfied

Not very satisfied

I don't like it ““

 

13. Do you go to the basketball games after school? No
Yes . If yes, what did you wear last time you wEEt
to a"FEsketball game?

Coat :

Main Garments :
Head Covering:
Shoes:
Stockings :
Purse :
Jewelry:

Other:

1“. Is this similar to what you usually wear to a basketball
game? Yes¢___No If no, why wasn't it?

 

 

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

78

Compared to others of your age, how well do you usually
feel you are dressed for basketball games?

Better dressed ,

About average

Not as well dressed
Don't know

 

 

If you went to a game with a boy, would you dress
differently from the way you dress when you go with
girls? No Yes If yes, what would be different?

 

Do you go to school dances after basketball games?
Often Sometimes Never

Did you go to a dance after the last game? __Yos __No
Check the category which comes closests to your feeling
about yourself :

I don't like myself the way I am; I'dlike to change
-_'completely.

There are many things I'd like tb change, but not
‘_—'completely.

I'd like to stay very much the same; there is very
—"_'little I would like to change. ‘

Have you ever refused to go any place because you felt
you didn't have the right clothes to wear? __No__Yes.
If yes, where was it? »

What would you have needed to wear?

 

 

Do you ever wear any of your sister's or mother's clothes?‘
No Yes. If yes, what items?z

 

 

Have you ever wished you hadn't gone some place because
your clothes weren't right? __No __Yes If yes, what sort
of occasion was this? .

 

Why weren‘t your clothes right?

 

When you got home from school yesterday did you change
clothes ? __No __Yes. If yes, what did you put on?
Shoes: . _

Stockings 9

Main Garments:

Other:

was there any particular reason why you wore these clothes?

 

79

2h. Compared to others of your age, how well do you usually

feel you are dressed at home?
Better dressed
About average __
Not as well dressed___
Don't know '___

25. Did you go to a church service or Sunday school on a
Sunday recently? Yes. If yes, describe what you were
last time you wentT"__No. If no, describe what you could
wear to church out oi your present wardrobe.

Coat :
Main Garments :
Head'Covering:
Gloves:
Shoes:
Stockings:
Purse:
Jewelry:
Other:
If you went to church, did you feel that you were dressed
appropriately in this outfit? Yes No If no, what would
you have liked to change? "' "'

 

 

26. Compared to others of your age, how well do you usually
feel you are dressed for church?

Better dressed
About average

Not as well dressed
Don't know

27. Does your school have special dress-up days? __yo Yes
If yes, do you fell any differently on that day when—you
are especially dressed up than you do on ordinary school
days? ___No ___Yes If yes, in what way?

 

Do you think the students act any differently on that
day compared to ordinary days?

 

 

28. Do you ever feel that certain types of clothes cause you
to act a certain way? Give an example:

 

 

80

C O N F I D E‘N T I A L I N T E R V I E W *

What this is all about

The youth of a community are in many respects, the most
important element of our society.

There is a great deal written and said about this age
group, but much of it is not based on facts.

This study is intended to supply important information
about the opinions young people have about themselves.

I need your help for without it this study cannot be

done. You can help best by answering the questions as
clearly and carefully as possible. I would like your
honest reaction to what adolescents think. You may think
about the question and take your time in answering it.
There are no right or wrong answers. we want to know what
your opinions are. Different people will have different
opinions.

This information is confidential. Your name will never
be used and no one you know will know what you have said.

 

*This interview is reduced to one-third of the original
interview schedule which provided adequate spacae for recording
responses.

 

81

Now I would like to begin by asking you some questions about
what would happen if a new girl came into your grade at school

1.

i\)

10 O

11.

x12.

If a new girl came to East Lansing High School and wanted
to get in with the popular girls, what would be the best
way to do this?

 

 

What characteristics do you think a new girl would be
judged on?

 

 

What characteristics do you use in choosing a friend?

 

Do you think it is difficult to make friends in East
Lansing High School: No Yes If yes, why do you
think so? “"' "“'

 

With the group you go around with, what are some things

 

which are inportant to do in order to be popular?

 

What are the characteristics of the most popular girl in
the ninth grade?

 

 

Who is the most popular girl in the ninth grade?

 

 

Does the clothing of the popular girls in the ninth grade
differ from the clothing of the other girls? No Yes
If yes, how does it differ? "’

 

 

Do you think clothing influences a girl's popularity at
East Lansing High School? No Yes. Why or why nod‘

 

How do your clothes compare with other girls in school?

 

How does the group you go around with compare in dress to
other groups at school?

 

 

What are the characteristics that are necessary to be the
best dressed girl in school?

 

 

Arlene Bjorngaard
Michigan State University _TCRA

1962

13.

1“.

15o

16.

17.

18.

19.

82

Who do you think is the best dressed girl in the ninth
grade?

 

Is there anything about yourself you would like to
change? No Yes. If yes, what would you change?

 

lnything e1se?'

 

Do you think you would make a different impression on
others if you could make these changes? No Yes.
If yes, why do you feel this way?

 

 

If yes, do you think it would be wasier to nikegfriends
if you made these changes? No Yes. If yes,
why do you feel this way?.

 

 

Whose approval of your clothing means the most to you?

 

th?

 

Do some clothes give you more self-confidence than other
No Yes. If yes, which onesd

 

 

 

Why?

 

Do you think that the nanmer in which your best friend
dresses is a reflection on you? By that I mean, do
others judge you by the way your best friend dresses?
___No Yes. If yes, why do you feel this way?

 

Are there any girls in the ninth grade who do not dress
right? No Yes. If yes, why do you think their
clothes are not rIgEt?

 

 

How wouldfyou describe these girls was do not dress right

 

can you tell me more about them?

 

 

‘Would you mind telling me who they are?

 

 

Do theyfhave manyffriends? no Yes

 

 

Do you have any friends that are not dressed right?

No Yes. If yes, what's wrong with the way they
dress?

 

Arlene Bjorngaard -
Michigan State University - TCRA

1962

 

 

I -..__ - ..-__...__ . 1 .._.‘ ..__.
.. - - - n , 7—“ H -
._ A I -_. - - ., ,.___ r .1 _
. ~--— .. .___.. __,-_,_,, _ 7__ _
p
-.-.—._ ._ ._._.. . _ e.__ - .. __ -m,_.-.._._... ,
u
p- ._ I .
— 7 can < - «—-<~ - - V n . 1 7,1“. I - _4_. -,- ,
_. H..- _ . _ - _ 7- _ ,_. . _ ,_____ - ‘ o -
’ -..... .._ .— -. . - n... .H L,,. - . —_ . -.-—_. -
—.
W -_._._. -7 ,- . - - - - - __
- - - .— 7! - N... ...__. ~
_... ._ . .————.. - ._.-- _ _._._. .. __ __._.- _.._.. _.
.. . . .. _ _-
-__- F_e_ c Ww.__v--- ,. WL‘.‘ - . _. a _ _. , ._~ ..—.
.
o
..—__. .. - w _ _...__..__. _.._- w. . - a-.. u - .. .. ._ .— . - —— —‘~
-~‘ __.‘ - -.. _ *1..- — _-- - - .. . - '-~— - - . ._——._.. - .
“fir—- —. ‘ - . - -,__—. M‘V‘ .. - . — .
fl — . _ — -— ---v ..'_..___ -_._.4 ._d—. c L. .. ~.- o. - __._. ,,
_ '*._ __ - - . . _ ”.5 - _. - ,
,w .- .. - _ -_. - ,,_,._- m~~ - i . ...~ 0 1,,“
. - - . -wfl k- ”A... ,
4...; - , _ a - ._ r - 1.7.. mi--- a...“ - ”4— - I

 

_ .- rr- _
_ -.__ - -
_ _. -__. -
,__. .o— V ..

 

 

 

83

20. Have you ever come to school dressed differently from

the other girls? No Yes. If yes, how did you
feel when you were dressed’aIfferently from everyone at
school?

 

 

21. If you heard that everyone on "dress up" day was going
to wear a sweat shirt to school and at the last minute
they changed their minds but you were not notified and
wore one to school; what would you do when you saw them
dressed differently?

 

 

 

How wouId you feel?

 

Now I am going to ask you several questions about yourself.

22. Are you usually satisfied with your general appearance?
Yes No. If no, why not?

 

 

23. Are you usually satisfied with your hair? Yes
NO. If no, why not? '

 

2h. Are you usually satisfied with your complexion? Yes
No. If no, why not?

 

 

25. Does your mother make suggestions about the clothes you
wear too school? No Yes. If yes, do you follow
her suggestions?

 

 

If yes, whatIkIfid of suggestions does she make?

 

I would like you to answer the next four questions with one
of these responses. (Give interviewee card with responses.)

26. Do you enjoy wearing your clothes if your friends don't
like then?

Almost always
Often
Sometimes

Seldom
_wNever
Arlene Bjorngaard
Michigan State University - TCRA
1962

8h

27. Do you feel ill at ease at school because of your
clothing?

Almost always
Often
Sometimes
Seldom

Never

 

28. Do yothers compliment you on the way you dress at school?

Almost always
Often
Sometimes
Seldom

Never

 

 

 

 

29. Have you felt embarrassed about the clothes you wear to
school?

Almost always
Often
Sometimes
Seldom

Never

 

 

If you have felt embarrassed about your clothes, why?

 

I would like your opinion on the stories about these high‘
school girls.

30. Jean is a new girl in the ninth grade in East Lansing
High School. Her appearance is neat and clean. Her
favorite combinations are plaid skirts and flowered
blouses.

Would you consider her well-dressed? Yes No.
Why or why not?fifi

would you invite her into your group even if you do not
feel she is well-dressed? Yes No

Do you think everyone in your group would agree with
you? Yes No

Do you think all the groups in school would do the same
as your group? Yes No

Why do you think so?

 

 

Arlene Bjorngaard
Michigan State University- TCRA
1962

31.

32.

85

Michelle recently moved to East Lansing from California.
Her first day at East Lansing High School she noticed

that she was the only girl wearing colored bobby socks.
shich were popular in California. She came home and told
her mother that she had to buy heavy white socks so that
she would be like all the other girls. Her mother thought
this was rather foolish since all her colored socks
matched her outfits.

Do you think it is important for Michelle to have bobby
socks like the other girls?
No Yes. Why or why not?

 

 

If she does not get heavy white bobby socks, what dif-
ference do you think it will make?

 

 

Why do you feel this way?

 

 

Lynn dresses very neatly for school. She has many
expensive clothes; however, her hair is usually messy
and unkempt. '

Do you think messy hair plays an important part in
Lynn's appearance? No Yes. Why or why not?

 

What do you think is more important--expensive clothes
or neat hair?

 

 

Would you like to have Lynn as your girl friend?

Yes No

Would you invite her to run around with your group?
yes No.
Do you think everyone in your group would agree with you?
Yes No. Why do you think so?__

Do you think all the groups in school would do the same
as your group?
Yes No Why do you think so?

 

 

Arlene Bjorngaard
Michgan State university -TCRA

1952

Clothing :

Figure :

Hair:
Style--

Complexion:

Make-up:

Eyes
Lipstick

Make-up base

Arlene Bjorngaard

86

RATING APPEARANCE OF INTERVIEWEE

neat

clean

pressed

fit

appropriate for school
fashionable

tall
average
short

heavy
average
slender

neat
clean
unkempt
simple
elaborate

good
fair
poor

None Some but
not obvious

Michigan State University-TCRA

1962

Obvious

87

Description of T.A.T. Pictures

CARD I. A group of young people(boys clad in T-shirts
and dungarees; girls in sweaters and skirts)
are standing in front of a building en-
trance. In the center of the scene is a
young girl wearing a black dress, high heel
shoes, and black gloves.

CARD II. A woman, about forty years old and some-
what plump is walking down the street
clad in a sweater, skirt and bobby socks
with open sandals. A young man, clad in
shirt and trousers, glances at her as her
enters a building.

CARD III. The scene is a kitchen of a small"working
class" house. A man, clad appropriately
for the scene is leaving the table where
two well-dressed womenIOne young--about
the man's age :the other older)are seated.

CARD IV. The scene is an upper income home. A man
whose clothing fits the surroundings is
standing and talking with a seated couple
who are poorly dressed.

CARD V. The scene is vague. Three men are talking.
One is dressed in a dark suit; the second,
rather stocky, is dressed in a sport shirt
and slcks; the third is clad in a jacket
and skirt and sandals.

 

1Mary Lou Rosencranz,”The Application of a Projective
Technique for Analyzing Clothing Awareness, Clothing Symbols,
and the Range of Themes Associated with Clothing Behavior."
Unpublished Ph. D. Dissertation, Michigan State University, 196)

IIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII III III IIII III

 

30221 1 3223