Attitude towards self and others as predictor of social adjustment

Headnote

The purpose of the study aims to explore the attitude towards self and others as a determinant of social adjustment. Social Adjustment Inventory by Roma Pal and The Self-Others Questionnaire by Dr. E.L. Phillips were administered on 150 subjects (75 boys and 75 girls) aged 16-20 years selected from different intermediate colleges of Agra. Data was statistically analysed by using chi-square. The study concludes that (a) adolescents having favourable attitude towards self and others are well and moderately socially adjusted (b) the study also concludes that subjects having favourable attitude towards self will have favourable attitude towards others also (c) boys have more favourable attitude towards self and others as compared to girls(d)girls were found to be better socially adjusted than boys.

Keywords: favourable, attitude, self-acceptance

"All other things being equal, it is attitude that separates winners from the rest of the crowd" (Unknown)

Attitude towards self and others is an important determinant of social adjustment. A positive attitude towards self in terms of self-acceptance and recognition forms a favourable attitude towards others also (objects, situation and person). It leads to the development of adequate social skills also. People who have favourable attitude towards others have good social relationship. A favourable attitude towards others can be interpreted in terms of acceptance of others with their strengths and vices. They appreciate others whenever it is required.

An attitude can be defined as a positive or negative evaluation of people, objects, event, activities, and ideas or just about anything in your environment, but there is debate about precise definitions. Eagly and Chaiken (1993) define an attitude "as a psychological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favour or disfavour. Though it is sometimes common to define an attitude as affect towards an object, affect is generally understood to be distinct from attitude as a measure of favourability.

Allport (1936) has defined "attitude" as a "mental and neural set of readiness, organized through experience, exerting a directing or dynamic influence upon the individual's response to all objects and situations with which it is related". This can be supported by the statement "Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it" by Irving Berlin

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