The Student Room Group

Popular

Ive been thinking about this a bit... What actually does make popular people popular? I can think of things:

+ Outgoing and friendly
+ Loads of Hobbies/Activities - i.e. not boring
+ Physically Attractive
+ Confident
+ Over Confident/Near Arrogant (I think this is true)
+ Talkative
+ ''Immature'' (Not thinking about actions/risktaking/rebelling/****ing around with people)

- Overly Intellegent
- Shy
- Physically small/fat
- Akward features - speech/walk etc - anything that can be mocked

What else do you think? I am only looking for answers about popularity in mid/late teens. Thanks!

Scroll to see replies

High Social Awareness
Conformity
yeh i suppose your kinda right but thats in places like high school, i was never the most popular but i was popular to an extent.
Reply 3
+ ''Immature'' (Not thinking about actions/risktaking/rebelling/****ing around with people)


Not always. People don't usually like unpredictable people.
Reply 4
Dressing well, especially with girls.

At my ex-school, a lot more people were willing to give me a chance once I started making an effort with hair/clothes/make-up.
Well I know you said you're only looking for answers about popularity in mid/late teens, but surely this stems from how popular you were during childhood as as you all grow together you will carry on being treated the same by the people around you, and acting in the same manner (in relation to your age) towards the people around you.
I'm sure everyone who's done psychology knows the main things that makes a child popular, generosity, sporting abilities and the ability to play and interact in a pleasant manner, to a certain extent this carries on through to the teenage years.

I guess it also depends on your concept of popularity. It is a stereotype and I'm sure you'll find that many 'popular' people are in fact despised by quite a few, and there are many people who are far more loved and have far more friends but aren't necessarily part of that click (I'm basing this on American tv :biggrin: we didn't actually seem to have those sorts of people in our school, every was just friends together awww)
Reply 6
Anonymous
Ive been thinking about this a bit... What actually does make popular people popular? I can think of things:

+ Outgoing and friendly
+ Loads of Hobbies/Activities - i.e. not boring
+ Physically Attractive
+ Confident
+ Over Confident/Near Arrogant (I think this is true)
+ Talkative
+ ''Immature'' (Not thinking about actions/risktaking/rebelling/****ing around with people)

- Overly Intellegent
- Shy
- Physically small/fat
- Akward features - speech/walk etc - anything that can be mocked

What else do you think? I am only looking for answers about popularity in mid/late teens. Thanks!


Close one.
Reply 7
Me. Be like me.

Nah just kidding. I know one sure fire way to become popular.

"Hey everyone, My dad's rich.. I have a pool, and a free house"
Reply 8
We really do live on a shallow planet.
Reply 9
is my school weird? because i find that everyone just has their own groups and no one is really considered "popular"... those who get along with almost everyone just tend to have a really great sense of humor and a personality
Reply 10
girlafraid
is my school weird? because i find that everyone just has their own groups and no one is really considered "popular"... those who get along with almost everyone just tend to have a really great sense of humor and a personality


Yes, it is.
Reply 11
There are only two things that make people popular:

1.) Money
2.) Good Looks
Popular people master the art of super-conformity - that is to say, they define a standard to which others seek to conform. The irony of it is that the very attractiveness of their apparently exalted nature, lies in being inimitably different. They create a reality which others seem to imitate or vicariously experience. Failing imitation, association with will suffice. This is why they attract herds of admirers. Essentially, they amuse, entertain and provide others with a sense of emotional wellbeing.
good sense of humour...
What's with everyone wanting to be "popular"?

At my school, (well, my year group anyway), there are no particular group of people who would be seen as "popular". I like it that way. Everyone are friends with each other. We protect our own people outside school. For example, if we see someone from our year group being bullied by a group of chav, we would help out.

Anyway, I was told everyone had this urge to become popular in Year 8/9 that in the end, there is no particular group that stands out so much!
Reply 15
I dont know whether its just in highschool that popularity is seen negatively but 'popular' people in my college were extremely intelligent individuals who, even though the majority were 'physically attractive' made friends with anyone and everyone. In my english class i avoided these girls who were obviously 'popular', but in the second year i started talking to them and found that they were really nice, funny and kind. So they weren't immature or overly arrogant atall.

Or are we just talking about highschool?
Reply 16
Grow up.

That 'list' you gave was a classic immature school, 'never left home' viewpoint.

If you try be popular you will not succeed. Popularity comes to leaders who don't give a **** what people think, are honesty and NOT bitter.

You'll never be popular with everyone, it's a fact.

Grow up a bit and you'll realise that 'popularity' doesn't exist by the qualities you've listed.

Honesty and genuinity are the only two attributes you should look to uphold.
Reply 17
Apparently in psychology it is believed popular people are successful manipulaters!

:biggrin:
Popularity is interesting because it comes in so many different forms. Many popular people I know don't even realise they are popular, their far to interested in other things.
Reply 19
R1chyP
Grow up.

That 'list' you gave was a classic immature school, 'never left home' viewpoint.

If you try be popular you will not succeed. Popularity comes to leaders who don't give a **** what people think, are honesty and NOT bitter.

You'll never be popular with everyone, it's a fact.

Grow up a bit and you'll realise that 'popularity' doesn't exist by the qualities you've listed.

Honesty and genuinity are the only two attributes you should look to unhold.


Yeah this is what i was going for. Although in the earlier teens there can be some immature idiots.

The point is you really are generalising