Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between selected measures of strength and personality traits, peer popularity, academic success, and daily attendance at school. In addition, high and low strength groups were examined for possible differences in personality, popularity, academic success, and attendance at school. Procedure: The subjects used in this study were 469 boys from the fifth through twelfth grades of the public schools of Stephenville, Texas. Strength tests were adapted or designed to eliminate factors of endurance, speed, coordination, balance, and previous learning as much as possible. Static arm strength was measured by an instrument similar to the bench press. A leg dynamometer measured static leg s strength. Pull-ups were used to measure dynamic arm strength and a refined adaptation of the vertical jump measured explosive leg strength. Specific personality traits were measured by Cattell's Children's Personality Questionnaire, Form A, in the fifth and sixth grades and by Cattell's Junior-Senior High School Personality Questionnaire, Form A, in the remaining grades. Peer popularity was measured by the number of times a subject's name was checked as a best friend, as a boy most admired, and as a boy his classmates would want to be like. Academic success was determined by the average of all grades given the subject for the two preceding semesters. Daily attendance for the two preceding semesters was taken from each subject's permanent record card. Two methods of statistical analysis were used. Correlation coefficients were calculated for each personality trait, strength measure, popularity score, academic average, and days absent from school for each subject. The first and fourth quartiles were calculated for each grade for each strength measure. These were identified as the high and low strength groups. A t test was used to determine if significant differences existed between the high and low strength groups on each of the other measurements.
Dunn, John Patterson (1970). The relationship between strength and selected social and personality factors. Doctoral dissertation, Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University. Libraries. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /DISSERTATIONS -177240.