An Exploratory Study of Children's Responses to Character-Building Stories

240 Pages·15.453 MB·English

by  Michael, Arthura Jane

AH EmORATtra STUDY OF CHILDREN'S RESPONSES
TO CHAMCTER^BlOTJDIHGr STORIES
Arthurs Jam Michael
A dissertation submitted in partial YiddTillmeni of the
requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy,,
in the Collage of Education in the Graduate
College of the State University of lorn.
August 1951
ProQuest Number: 10907237
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ACKHOVTIJgaXffitEKTS
To Dr. Herbert J\ 3>±t*«r, the writer ie greatly indebted
for his encouragement, interest, counsel, and willingness to sponsor
this study*
The writer received valuable suggestions on evaluation in
this area from Dr. David Bussell* s book Children Learn to Read. She
wishes to acknowledge the us® of seme of his suggestions in the
study of individual children*® reading patterns*
Appreciation is extended to the teachers of the Delray
Beach, Florida school for their cooperation in the preliminary study
and to the teachers and pupils in the five Iowa schools who
participated in this study*
Appreciation ie also extended to Mrs* Mary Jane Gstrean
Nelson and Miss Lotd.se H» Beltramo for their assistance as raters*
TABUS OF CONTENTS
Chapter page
I Introduction.................* • 1
Orientation of the Problem .......... . X
Statement of the Problem . . « » « . . « • 9
II Summary of Related Research * . • • • « • * • • 12
III Procedure of this Investigation * » • » » • • • 3k
General Procedure...................... 3h
Selection of the Stories.................36
Content of the Stories . * » • * « * » « • 37
The Questionnaire • .............. * • • 38
Discussion of the Selection of the
Personality Test • 39
Selection of the Subjects * . * ........... h3
Treatment of the Data * « « . * • « ' » • • l*i*
IF Presentation of the Data * * ......... . . . h9
Comprehension of the Stories ........... $7
Reaction to the Stories « • ........... 71
Experiences Similar to the Central
Character • » » * * * « • * * . « . * ' • 96
Feeling of the Stories Helpfulness . * . » 106
A Study of a Class Known to be Low in
Morale .......... . . Ill
V Presentation of Data, Detailed Study of
Selected Cases « « • » * ......... 118
Purpose.............. 118
Type of Data Obtained.............* * • 118
Procedure • * * • • » » • • • » « • . . . « 119
Presentation of D a t a . . . . 122
Limitations of the Study of Selected
Cases • « • » « ....... 122
Case Study No. 1*010 T 3 .........* * ... 12$
Case Study No. U12G T3 * * .............130
Case Study No. 619B T 3 ........♦ . . . • 135
Case Study No. U02B T3 • • • • » • • * , , • IhO
ill
TABUS OF COraKTS (continued)
Chapter page
V (continued)
Case Study Ho, 612B T3 IWj-
Case Study Ho, I4.28G T2 « * . . . . . . • ll$
Case Study Ho, U0I4B T2 152
Case Study No, 6010 ?2 156
Case Study No, 625b T2 1.60
Case Study No, 606B T 2 ........... « . 165
Case Study No, IjlOO T1 .............. 169
Case Study No. 6H B T1. . « • « * * * . 173
Case Study No. 10L5B T1 ......... 177
Case Study No. 6OI4G T1. . . . . . . . . 182
Case Study No. 6260 T1 186
Concluding Statements 190
VI Conclusion ......... 19U
Summary of Results 19 h
Implications for Education......... . 199
Limitations of the Study . . ....... 207
Suggestions for Further Research . . . . 208
Bibliography 210
Appendix As Illustrative Data . . . . . . . . 216
Appendix B: Copies of Experimental Materials • 220
iv
TABLE OF TABLES
Table page
I Children1© Response® to Character Building
Stories » » * « * » ' * • • • • # • • » » ' * « 50
XX Summary of the Types of Response© Given to
Question 1, "What Was the tein Idea of the
Story?tt * ....... ... .......... 59
III Humber of Pupils Showing Evidence of Stating
the Main Idea of All Four Stories » . « « » « * 62
IF Humber of Pupils Showing Evidence of Abstracting
the Main Idea from the Stories, According to
the Subject©1 Rank on the California Test of
Personality ......... . • 63
V Significant Ratio© Comparing the Adjustment
Group®* Ability to State the Main Idea of
the Stories * « , 6U
VI Humber of Pupils According to Sex Showing
Evidence of Stating the Main Idea of the
Stories * • • * ......... * ................ 66
VII Significant Ratios Comparing Beys* and Girl©1
Ability to State the Main Idea of the Stories • 66
VIII Humber of Girls Showing Evidence of Abstracting
the Main Idea from the Stories According to
Adjustment Group® ......... 68
IX Significant Ratios Comparing Girls1 Ability
to State the Main Idea of the Stories
According to Adjustment Groups « • • • * « • * 68
X Humber of Boys Shewing Evidence of Abstracting
the Main Idea from the Stories According to
Adjustment Group© .......... 70
H Significant Ratios Comparing Boys’ Ability to
State the Main Idea of the Stories According
to Adjustment Group© » • « • • * • * * « * • « 70
XII Summary of the Total Groups’ Reaction to the
Stories 72
v
TABLE OF TABLES (continued)
Table page
n n Pupils* Reaction to th© Stories According to
their Rank on the California Test of
Personality 7h
XIV Significant Ratios Comparing the Subjects1
Reaction to the Stories According to Their
Adjustment Groups ....... 75
XV Pupils* Reaction to the Stories According to
Sex • • * .............. . 76
XVI Significant Ratios Comparing Girls* and Boys*
Reaction to th© Stories..........* ........ 77
XVII Pupils1 Reaction to the Stories According to
Sex and th© Rank on th© California Test of
Personality • » ' « » , * » . , * * BO
XVIII Significant Ratios Comparing Girls* Reaction
to th© Stories According to Adjustment Groups * 81
XIX Significant Ratios Comparing Boys* Reaction
to the Stories According to Adjustment Groups • 81
XX Total Groups * Responses to Question 3, "Have
you ever felt like or had any experiences
like the central character?" * » . * * * • * • 98
XXI Number of Pupils Responding to Question 3?
"Have you ever felt like or had any
experiences like the central character?",
According to Rank on California Personality
T e s t .................. 99
XXII Significant Ratios Comparing Adjustment Groups*
Responses to Having Experiences Similar to
the Central Character .......... * 99
XXIXX Pupils* Responses to Question 3, "Have you
ever felt like or had any experiences like
the central character?", According to Sex « * * 100
vi
W OF TABLES (continued)
Table page
XXIV Significant Ration Comparing Roars’ and Girls*
Responses to Having Experiences Similar to
the Central Character * • • » « » • « * • * » * 101
XXV Girls* Responses to Question 3, "Have you ever
felt like or had any experiences like the
central character?11, According to the Rank on
th© California Test of Personality • 102
XXVI Significant Ratios Comparing Girls* Response®
to Having Experiences Similar to the Central
Character According to Adjustment Group « * * » 102
XXVII Beys* Responses to Question 3, "Have you over
f©lt like or had m y experiences like the
central character?”, According to the Rank
on the California Test of Personality • , » * * 103
XXVIII Significant Ratios Comparing Boys* Responses
to Having Experiences Similar to the
Central Character According to Adjustment
Group 10R
XXIX Total Groups* Response® to Question f*25o
you think that reading this story ha® helped
you in any way?” • « , « • • * * . • • • * » * • 107
XXX Pupils* Responses to Question R, ,fDo you
think that reading this story has helped you
in any way?” According to Rank on California
Test of Personality • » • • • • • * • • • » ' . 108
XXXI Pupils* Responses to Question U, uBo you
think that reading this story has helped you
in any way?11 According to Sex • • * • • • * « • 108
XXXII Girls* Responses to Question h9 MDo you think
that reading this story has helped you in
any way?” According to the Rank on the
California Test of Personality 109
vli
TABLE OF TABLES (continued)
Table page
XXXIII Beys1 Response® to Question U, wDo you think
that reading this story has helped you in
any way?” According to the Hank on th©
California Test of Personality » * * » • « • » 110
XXXIV ffamber of Pupils in the Upper, Middle and
lower Adjustment Groups in Four Sixth Grades
in Four Schools 113
XXXV Comparison of Four Six Grades* Responses to
the Questions Asked on the Questionnaire « * * 115
XXXVI Comparison of fifty-six pupils at U.E.S*,
with the total group in terms of percentage * • 121*
viii
Chapter X
INTRODUCTION
Orientation of the Problem
The relationship between reading and personality has been
the subject of extensive studies in reading research. The major part
of the research has placed emphasis on the negative aspect of the
relationship and it is only recently that attention has been focused
on th© positive effect® that reading may have on an individual. (6h,
60) As a result of the canphaoi® given to reading, today, as part of
of well-rounded development of children and adults, (55) on© find© In
reading, health, and social studies textbooks planned sections that
are devoted specifically to stories that are believed to be of a
character-building nature. One teacher’s manual accompanying a series
of books states: (63«5)
This series helps to develop a balanced personality.
Children read about valuable social experiences, such as
work, play, sharing, helping others— experiences that
directly influence desirable personal growth. Thus each
child has an opportunity to Identify his am experiences
with those of others. This gives him that sense of ’belonging’
and that feeling of security which are essential to healthful
mental and emotional adjustment. Th© humor, the action, and
the widening activities which characterize these readers
assure th© child’s increasing enjoyment and understanding.
They contribute to his expanding personality.
Th© writer's principal aim is to study, on an exploratory
basis, children’s responses to the type of stories referred to above—
stories that are believed to be character-building in their effects.