STUDENT TEACHER PREFERENCES FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PUPILS VARYING IN PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS

Emloyed a 4 * 2 factorial design, varying personality cluster by sex, to test the hypothesis that student teachers place a higher value upon children whose behaviors reflect caution and conformity as compared to children whose behaviors reflect independence and challenge. 240 student teachers were presented with 16 story situations depicting boys and girls manifesting 4 different personality clusters. The findings indicated that the student teachers rate significantly more positive, on a number of intellectual and social dimensions, the conforming, rigid and the dependent, passive child as compared to the flexible, nonconforming and the independent, assertive child. While the ratings of the personality clusters were similar for both sexes, the sex appropriateness of the cluster influenced the judgments. (25 ref). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.