Popularity Explained
“This is so interesting and very understandable.”
Popularity is a social phenomenon that re-emerges every year in every school around the world; yet, despite how common it is and how important it is to students, it has never been fully explained. Written for parents and teachers, this book is NOT a how-to-guide of tired cliches nor is it a story of personal growth and discovery. With clear language and simple logic, Popularity Explained answers how popularity works and why it emerges so predictably. Based on published scientific literature, it draws on concepts from psychology and neuroscience to explain this fascinating social phenomenon.
Amazon Reviews – Popularity Explained
Found this book after coming across a comment posted by Leona Dore on the book, "How to Be Popular: Everything You Need to Know and More." Agree with her. Unlike any other book on the subject this one does more than just rehash the same advice found everywhere else on the internet.
07/06/2015
What is popularity? This (Doctoral Thesis?) essay was first posted for free on the internet through WikiHow, if I remember correctly because I was surprised and captivated by the author's analysis of this elusive phenomenon. It starts by debunking why the advice given: be-nice-and-you-will-be-popular does not produce the results so many teenagers, and perhaps adults,
07/06/2015
This book changed the way I observed my peers. I never had words or categories for the socially graceful, and those less so, but this book broke it down in easy-to-grasp terms. The beauty of this text is how it explicitly states (then explains) so many "unwritten rules" of school, or the office.
07/06/2015
This book completely unlocks the mysteries of social hierarchy. The subject of the book might be grade school and high school social psychology but it is also for anyone who has, sadly, wondered why most of life is just a repeat of high school.
13/04/2016
The explanation is sound, everything makes sense, and the writing is good but it's a little to hetero-normative. 4 out of 5
07/06/2015
A good read all-in-all. It brought back memories of high school and made me re-think some of my own experiences. It's also funny to see some of these things happen at work between my co-workers.
07/06/2015
If you enjoy social psychology and have dabbled even lightly in any Western literature/film/TV set in grade school, this is the book for you. I would especially recommend this book to educators. The text is very readable, and the anecdotes reveal a reflective and humorous author.
07/06/2015
The first few chapters develop ideas I hadn't heard before, like "Input of Energy" which come together towards the end of the book in an attempt to explain how popularity works. Its an explanation that's immediately satisfying because it seems so obvious in hindsight. By chapter 6 you start to figure it out and then
07/06/2015
The book will help anyone who has ever moved to a new place, joined a gym, country club, church group, newcomer's club, parent teacher organization, or just about any group at all. It can even apply to office cliques!
13/04/2016
A surprisingly well researched book that delivers what the title promises. I love that the author actually CITES their sources. (with a handy "Further Reading" section at the back if you want to follow up)
07/06/2015
There are a lot of books about popularity available but this one explains the why.
07/06/2015
I wish I had read this book back when I worked with children and young adults a lot. The book is a useful and scientific tool to understand and hopefully to help young people who are finding their place in the world. Reading Popularity Explained also changed the way I monitored my own actions. When
07/06/2015
My only criticism is that sometimes the language and vocabulary get a bit heavy. There are multiple anecdotes and stories throughout to keep it light but its only suitable for the advanced high school reader and up.
07/06/2015
By far, the best book I've read as an educator on the essence of popularity. This book can help educators and parents alike
13/04/2016
The book is obviously well researched but sometimes it's a bit too "boy meets girl" oriented. Would have liked to read whether or not the same things apply to the LGBT community. Hopefully a future edition will address this question with research.
07/06/2015
