POPULARITY
Like most things in life, popularity is more complicated than it
looks. Some people are popular because they are likable—their peers like
them, trust them, and want to be with them. Others are popular because
they somehow gain a certain status, and use that power to wield
influence over others (ie, high school).
Which kind of popularity you pursue matters, says Mitch Prinstein, a professor and director of clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina. He recently published Popular: The Power of Likability In A Status-Obsessed World.
Prinstein delves into reams of research about what popularity is, and what effects it has on us. He shows that people who seek to be likable tend to end up healthier, in better relationships, with more fulfilling work, and Status-seekers, on the other hand, often end up depressed.
In the age of Instagram, it’s no shock that most of us are gravitating to the wrong kind.
“Most of us confuse the two types of popularity, and search for the wrong one,” says Prinstein.
This wasn’t as much of a problem 30 years ago. Back then, it was just a phase. Adolescence would hit and teens suddenly became consumed with a desire to be noticed, accepted, and approved. (For more on the complicated neuroscience of teen brains. https://facebook.com
As teens became adults, they realized that social capital came from connections—with other people and communities at large. After adolescence, we would revert back to caring mostly about likability.
No longer. Now, we care more about status at all ages, effectively condemning ourselves to endless adolescence.
“The world has become a perpetual high school,” Prinstein says. “We can live in that adolescent mindset for the rest of our lives if we are not careful.”
https://younguti.blogspot.com
Which kind of popularity you pursue matters, says Mitch Prinstein, a professor and director of clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina. He recently published Popular: The Power of Likability In A Status-Obsessed World.
Prinstein delves into reams of research about what popularity is, and what effects it has on us. He shows that people who seek to be likable tend to end up healthier, in better relationships, with more fulfilling work, and Status-seekers, on the other hand, often end up depressed.
In the age of Instagram, it’s no shock that most of us are gravitating to the wrong kind.
“Most of us confuse the two types of popularity, and search for the wrong one,” says Prinstein.
This wasn’t as much of a problem 30 years ago. Back then, it was just a phase. Adolescence would hit and teens suddenly became consumed with a desire to be noticed, accepted, and approved. (For more on the complicated neuroscience of teen brains. https://facebook.com
As teens became adults, they realized that social capital came from connections—with other people and communities at large. After adolescence, we would revert back to caring mostly about likability.
No longer. Now, we care more about status at all ages, effectively condemning ourselves to endless adolescence.
“The world has become a perpetual high school,” Prinstein says. “We can live in that adolescent mindset for the rest of our lives if we are not careful.”
https://younguti.blogspot.com
Comments
Post a Comment