The Real World Mean Girls
Michelle Barhorst
Elisabeth Eklund
Rachel Libben
Mary Tassone
Image Source http://www.sodahead.com
Clique Facts
• Clique - a narrow exclusive circle or group of
persons (Merriam-Webster)
• Cliques affect both boys and girls
• Cliques are self-reinforcing
• Cliques can start as early as kindergarten
(Sources: Wiseman, 2009)
Image Source: http://www.bloggernoob.com/bloggingcliques/06/
Research has shown…
• Daily interactions with peers play a major role in teen
identity formation.
• Peer rejection in childhood and adolescence have
been associated with a heightened risk for depressed
mood.
• Children who are isolated from cliques may not have
positive group experiences and therefore may be at
risk for making their depressive symptoms worse.
• Prevention efforts could help children to reduce
depressive symptoms.
(Sources: Kinney, 1993; Witvliet et al., 2010)
Image Source http://school.familyeducation.com
The Meaning of Meanness: Popularity,
Competition, and Conflict among
Junior High School Girls
• Study explored the meaning of meanness in
junior high school in order to better understand
the connections between female competition,
conflict, and popularity.
• A three-year longitudinal study of junior high
school. Two ethnographers interviewed and
observed students.
• Students were asked to explain how they
perceived and experienced the world.
(Source : Merton, 1997)
Meaning of Meanness Continued…
•
The students in this school defined the term “mean” as acts of
commission and omission whose intent was to hurt someone
emotionally.
•
Most of the clique’s meanness was directed at its own members,
so most outsiders thought it would be nice to be friends with the
members. Therefore, the clique’s popularity was protected
•
Meanness is an action to express and preserve popularity.
Meanness provided a way for students to express and experience
personal power. Therefore, meanness has a hierarchical position.
(Source: Merton, 1997)
Image Source: http://polishedinpink.onsugar.com/Very-Steps-Girls-Coach-Tyler-Flats-12685300
Research Suggests…
• It’s important for students in middle school to
be involved in extracurriculars so they can
interact with peers with similar interests
• Break down barriers between cliques that are
active in the school. Retreats, workshops,
team-work challenges
• Work to develop social skills in the entire
middle school population so that all students
can relate better
(Source: Batiuk, Boland & Wilcox, 2004; Kinney, 1993)
Challenge Day
If You Really Knew Me
Image Source: spartanyouthradio1.libsyn.com
If You Really Knew Me:
Ep. 8 Columbia High School
• Challenge Day came to school with the goal to
“break down cliques and see human beings
inside”
• Challenge Day Starts with ice breakers to get the
students energized, moving, and interacting with
one another
• Facilitators then talked about importance of not
living life inside a little box and how to give real
hugs
• Game to collect as many real hugs as possible
(Source: Coyne, P., Day, A., & Shapiro, A., 2010)
…If You Really Knew Me Ep. 8
• Students broke into small groups and shared that “If
you really knew me, you would know that…” and
discussed home lives
• Power Shuffle Activity
• Individuals took microphone to plan how to move
forward as a school & what they will personally
change
• Mix It Up at lunch the next day
(Source: Coyne, P., Day, A., & Shapiro, A., 2010)
Image Source: http://www.challengeday.org/photo-gallery.php
Strategies to Break Down Cliques
• Mix It Up Day
Image Source: bhsbloggers.blogspot.com/2010_11_07_archive.html
Mix It Up Day
• Created in 2002 by Study Circles
Resource
Center and Teaching Tolerance Project, practiced
by millions annually
• Goal is to help young people cross social
boundaries and improve relations
• Most effective when combined with classroom
discussions before and follow-up discussions
• More successful when students were involved in
planning and facilitating
Image Source: mado.web.unc.edu
(Source: Nagda, B. A., McCoy, M. L., & Barrett, M, 2006)
What did Students Say?
• Based on student survey results:
• Students were more aware of social
boundaries and social climates
• Students got to know more students
• Students became more aware of how cliques
were hurtful and their role in how to break
down social boundaries
• Students of color especially felt that their
views were heard during the discussions
Image Source: ashevillecityschools.net
(Source: Nagda, B. A., McCoy, M. L., & Barrett, M, 2006)
Classroom Activities
• Ask classroom if there are any issues with cliques;
usually there will be reluctance to discuss, so
have students break out across classroom and
answer anonymously, then read responses aloud
to class
• Make lists for girls and boys of characteristics that
are considered cool and uncool; record them
inside and outside of a box
• Have students draw a clique map of school
common areas and lunchroom and discuss
(Source: Wiseman, 2009)
Example of “Mean Girls” Map:
Image Source: lindsayelise0527.blogspot.com
Classroom Activities
• Make a list of how you feel when gossiping
and how you feel when gossiped about;
compare the lists and decide who you would
rather be
(Source: Karres, 2010)
Image Source: www.writerscafe.org
Resources
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Batiuk, M.E., Boland, J.A., Wilcox, N. (2004). Project trust: Breaking down barriers between middle school
children. Adolescence, 39 (155), 531-539.
Coyne, P., Day, A., & Shapiro, A.(Producer). (2010, September 10). Columbia High School [Television Series
Episode]. If You Really Knew Me. Los Angeles: MTV.
Farmer, T. W. (2000). From nerds to normals: The recovery of identity among adolescents from middle
school to high school. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 11(3), 299-321.
Kinney, D. A. (1993). From nerds to normals: The recovery of identity among adolescents from middle
school to high school. Sociology of Education, 66(1), 21-40.
Merten, D. (1997). The meaning of meanness: popularity, competition, and conflict among junior high
school girls . Sociology of Education, 70(3), 175-191.
Nagda, B. A., McCoy, M. L., & Barrett, M. (2006). Mix it up: Crossing social boundaries as a pathway to
youth civic engagement. National Civic Review, 95(1), 47-56. doi:10.1002/ncr.131
Wiseman, R. (2009). Queen Bees & Wannabees (2nd ed.). New York: Three Rivers Press.
Witvliet , M., Brendgen, M., Van Lier, P., Koot, H., & Vitaro, F. (2010). Early adolescent depressive
symptoms: Prediction from clique isolation, loneliness, and perceived social acceptance. J Abnorm Child
Psychology, 38(8), 1045-1056.