A new study has confirmed that children who tend to be more popular are the ones born at the beginning of the school year. While popularity, and the concept of it, is something that we try to tell our children doesn’t matter, it does. It matters to children who are in school and are trying so hard to fit in. They see the popular children, and they can feel a little self-conscious and may even be a victim of bullying by the “cool kids.” This is a concern, so studies are being done to see who these popular kids are, and why they have a higher social status at school.
According to Study Finds, children who are older and born at the beginning of the school year tend to be the more popular children. The study was completed in the Netherlands and can be read in full here. It looked at more than 13,000 children.
While we may often think of the negative effects for children who are not deemed popular, we rarely think about the positive aspects for the children who are considered popular. Being the popular kid in school can lead to a more positive sense of self-worth and it can improve their physical health. The study looked at students who were between 14 and 15 years old and were from the Netherlands, Sweden, and England.
The survey that was given out asked students to list the five most popular students in their class. In England, the researchers found that the children who were born in September, October, and November tended to be the ones who were more well-liked by their peers. The Dutch students said that older kids, regardless of when they were born, were more popular than others. More studies may need to be done to determine why exactly this is.
It could be due to the fact that since they are older, they are more seen as “leaders” by their peers who look to them for guidance and inspiration. Researchers also pointed out that this can work against some students. Previous studies have shown that children who were labeled as the popular kid in school faced more social anxiety and were more likely to grow to have problems with the law. They state that what children should aim for is their level of likeability. The more likable a child is, the more they will benefit in the future from strong and close friendships, and that this may be better than being admired.
Sources: Study Finds, PLOS One