Introduction

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1.1. Introduction
Man is usually participating in some kind of group activity. He is a member of many groups, most of which, whether permanent or temporary. accidentally or deliberately created, or small groups. Some groups have a temporary and slight effects on the individual, while the influence of others may be more lasting and radical. In some groups, he may develop some skills and abilities which bring him social status, a feeling of success and accomplishment, others leave him feeling thwarted, frustrated and rejected. Thus, individual's behaviour and personality can he influenced by manipulating group structures and processes, which, is often true in case of a classroom as well as in other social settings. Deep within lies in every individual a powerfid urge to wow up and blossom out as a person-to be distinguished from the sub-human species. We might be struck at the majesty of an elephant or the ferocity of a tiger or the elegant plumage of a peacock or even the incredible initative capacity of a chimpanzee. But, in none of these cases, do we use the term personality. It is reserved primarily for the members of the Homosapiens. Born as a helpless infant, totally dependent upon its mother for survival, the human body grows, matures, develops, learns and comes to be reckoned as a person among several persons in this world. It is a longitudinal process. Some leave a legacy a land mark upon the sands of timeto be cherished, remembered and revered for centuries. Others, nevertheless, do lead a quiet, dignified life, raising a family and fulfilling the purpose 2 ordained by God. Each person has a name while some earn a fame in life. A flock of

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.sheep or a herd of elephants do not seen to bear individual names while a crowd or con gregation of men and women in a market-place or church greet each other by their individual names. The quest fi)r everyone is to become a person as Carl Rogers says and develop one's personality. Inherent in every individual is the seed pf personality or Individuality that would germinate, shoot up and blossom out under appropriate environmental conditions. Millions of children congregate in classrooms all over the world to acquaint themselves with the space-age. Each stimulus leaves an imprint in one's personality and enables one to become a person. This rather extended introduction to the study of personality is relevant because everyone can develop his personality by selfefforts rather than rely on biological heritage. Teachers could at best, be "facilitators" than "makers" in the process. Most of us adore some persons because they are handsome or pretty looking. We despise some because of their ugly looks. We are carried away by appearances. Youngsters have their own heroes and heroines from the world of cinema. They use such objectives as majestic, vivacious, magnetic. Dull, listers, inconspicuous as prefix none of these would find a place in a textbook on personality. In other words we have an illusory perspective. Our first task, therefore, is to dispel the wrong notions lurking in the minds of laymen. The term personality derives from the Latin word Persona, and the Medieval Latin, Personalities. The original meanin g of these words is mask, a reference to the external appearance of the individual. Carl Jung, used the term Persona' to identify explicitly the individuals public personality, in the sense of the lines from T. S. Elicot's "Love song of J. Affred Pree ock . There will he time, there will he time. To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet.........

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This meaning did not, however, stand alone for long, because persona came to mean a variety of thin g s, including the inner

characteristics and qualities of the individual as well as his or her external guise. Buethius was led to his classical definition Persona est Substantic individual retionalis nature ('A person is an individual substance e of a rational nature") (Muller 1888). Ad j ustment The primary purpose of education is to train children to solve life's personal, social and economic problems. If you examine the various activities of an individual's life, you will find that most of them involve adjustment of the individual to his vocational, social and economic problems. The process of adjustment starts right from the birth of the child and continues till his death. The concept of adjustment is as old as human race on earth. Systematic emergence of this concept starts from Darwin. In those days the concept was purely biological and he used the term adaptation. The adaptability to environmental hazards goes on increasin g as we proceed on the phylogenic scale from the lower extreme to the higher extreme of life. Man, among the living beings, leave the highest capacities to adapt to new situations. Man as a social animal not only adapts to physical demands but he also adjusts to social pressures in the society.

Biologists used the term adaptation strictly for physical demands of the environment but psycghologists use term adjustment for varying conditions of social or inter-personal relations in the society. This, we see that adjustment means reaction to the demands and pressures of social environment imposed upon the individual. Adjustment may be defined as, "A state of lifc when the individual is more or less in harmony with

personal biological, social and psychological needs with the demands of the physical environment" In the Dictionary of Behaovioral sciences by Wolman, adjustment is defined as the harmonious relationship with the environment involving the ability to satisfy most of one's needs and meet most of the demands, both physical and social, that are put upon one. Adjustment is a psychological process by means of which the individual manages or copes with various, demands, persons and by which an individual adapts him self effectively to continually changing situations. The term adjustment has two meaning in one sense; it is a continual process by which a person varies in behaviour to produce a more harmonious relationship between himself and environment. On other sense, Adjustment is a state i.e. the condition of harmony arrived at by a person whom we call well adjusted. An individual is said to he well adjusted, when his relationship to his milieu is such that he can be characterized by the term. "efficient and happy". It is pertinent to point out that when maladjustment exists, the major sources are not necessary found in the individual, they may lie in the environment or in both the individual and the environment. The nature of adjustment depends upon the individual social experience out of
mastery over external environment through perception, abstraction and

self control from infancy onwards. It is adjustment which is responsible for the organization of behaviour to life situation at home, at school and at work, throughout the world. It has been consistent attempt of man to adjust himself with the changing circumstances. However the concept of adjustment-attracted the attention of psychologists. They argue that a well .. adjusted person is very much in need because he is the one where needs

and satisfaction of life are integrated with the sense of social feeling and acceptance of social responsibility. The influence of adjustment on the life of an individual is tremendous. lnfact adjustment has much in common in meaning and usage with the terms like aesthetic, theoretical, economic, social, political and religion values employed in several departments of human activity. The term adjustment is explained differently by different psychologists. Lelmar and Kubc, "Adjustment is a continuous process of interaction between ourselves and our environment and it is the effectiveness of an individuals efforts to meet his needs." Crow and crow, "Adjustment refers to individuals characteristics of habitual understanding of reactions to and manners of solving problem, situations which he experience. Norman and Tallent, "Adjustment is a process by which a living organism maintains balance between its needs and the circumstances that influences the satisfaction of their needs." Adjustment of the individuals with their environment plays a very important role in the lives of men. The investigator realized the need for studying the adjustment of socio metrically high and socio metrically low 8th grade students. As far as the adjustment of socio metrically high and socio metrically low 8th Grade students is concerned, it is difficult to establish whether one or the other area of adjustment is directly or indirectly responsible for their adjustment. The heart of adjustment is precisely found either in home condition, health situation, social position, . emotional set up and occupational area. Psychology is the basic tool to determine the personality adjustment of the socio metrically low and socio metrically high 86

Grade students. Studies which have been conducted by experts in the world of vocation have shown that psychological characteristics of personality arc a great source of an individual. However, there are certain environment limitations like poor family backgound, economic want and the like which hinder the development of a person, but by and large the inherited qualities with which a person is endowed determine his success or failure in his lift. The inherited qualities like level of intelligence, social outgoing attitude and emotional stability go a long way in personal, social and occupation success of an individual.

1.2. Need And Importance of the present study

A number of researches have been conducted on the personality adjustment (whether it may be personality adjustment of gifted, delinquent, working leaders, teachers, other workers etc). We know that the seventh century has been called the age of the enlightenment. The 18th, the age of reason, the 19111 the age of progress and 20th age of anxiety. Although the path to a meaningful and satisfying way of life as probably never been an easy one. It seems to have become increasingly difficult in modern times. Ours is the age of tremendous growth of knowledge and age of rapid social change, more scientific and technological advances have been made in the past 50 years. Than in all previous recorded time, for many people the pace of change is looking too fast resulting in what has been termed "future shock". Modern science and technology affects all phases of lift. At the same time traditional values and beliefs no longer seen self-evident, we lack the comforting religious and social absolutes that provided security for our foreheary. And often we seem unable to anticipate and prepare for the consequences of group decisions and actions until the results approach catastrophic proportions. Unfortunately advances in our understanding

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of human nature and behaviour have lagged for behind our advances in physical and biological sciences. We know much about atom and gene but not nearly enough about the values needed for achieving a meaningful and fulfilling life, or for construction better world for us all. Small wonder that every side we see anxious, unhappy, bewildered people who miss the realization of their potentialities because they cannot find satisfactory answers to problems that seems just too great. The stress of modern life indicated by the incredible amount of tranquilizers, sleeping pills and beverages consumed in society, by the emergence of heart attacks as the leading cause of death in our youth and by alarming increase in delinquency and crime, particularly crime of violence. Despite the stress of modem life, most people still manage to "middle" through worrying along and solving their problem after a fashion. But for, many people stress proves too great. This does not mean that effective personality adjustment is impossible in modem times. It does mean however that many of us encounter serious difficulties in dealing with life's problems particularly problems centering around intimate personal relationships and the reach for values contributing to a meaningful and fulfilling way of life. Thus the study of personality adjustment may he of great help. Because several studies have proved helpful for us like Pathak. R. D. S study. "Socio metric status and adjustment level in school children". rags 11-075 0e r i r e tr .1 1 14 . t. iPaa 3.11, ft ..2z. 41N fi "P.6.
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present study is an attempt to study, the personality adjustment of the two groups socio metrically high and socio metrically low 8th Grade students.

1.3. Statement of the problem

The problem choosen for the present study is stated as under: "The personality Adjustment of the socio metrically high and socio metrically low 8th Grade students".

1.4. Objectives of the study

The following objectives have been framed for the present study: 1. To study the Personality adjustment of socio metrically high and socio metrically low 8th Grade students. 2. To find out the significance of difference between mean scores of
socio metrically high and socio metrically low 8 th Grade students

on their personal adjustment. 3. To find out the significance of difference between mean scores of socio metrically high and socio metrically low 8th grade students on their personal adjustment (sex wise). 4. To find out the significance of difference between mean scores of socio metrically high and socio metrically low 8th grade students on their social adjustment.

5. To find out the significance of difference between mean scores of socio metrically high and socio metrically low 8th Grade students on their social adjustment (sex wise). 6. To find out the significance of difference between mean scores of socio metrically high and socio metrically low 8th grade students on their total adjustment. 7. To find out the significance of difference between mean scores of socio metrically high and socio metrically low 8 th grade on their total adjustment (sex-wise).

1.5. Hypothesis
1. There is a significant difference between mean scores of socio metrically high and socio metrically low 8th grade students on their total personality adjustment.

2. There is a significant difference between mean scores of socio metrically high and socio metrically low grade students on their personal adjustment. 3. There is a significant difference between mean scores of socio metrically high and socio metrically low
8`11

grade students on their

personal adjustment when found sex-wise. 4. There is a significant difference between mean scores of socio metrically high and socio metrically low 8'1' grade students on their social adjustment. 5. There is a significant difference between mean scores of socio metrically low 8th ?fide students on their social adjustment, when computed sex wise.

6. There is a significant difference between mean scores of socio metrically high and socio metrically low 8th grade on their total adjustment. 0. There is a significant difference between mean scores of socio metrically high and socio metrically low 8th grade students on their. total adjustment, when computed sex-wise.