Extrovert
80% of children report to be a part of a social group
4 out of 5 middle school About 17% of introverts students said consider themselves to that the most imbe in a clique in the portant factor of fitworkforce, compared ting in at school is physto the 27% of ical appearance extroverts
Whether it’s a circle of friends playing Magic the Gathering or a group of math fanatics that do everything together, teenagers tend to aggregate in cliques, which are close, tight-knit friend groups which share a common interest and seem inseparable and unjoinable. “If you have the same culture, then you have similar things like events and holidays in common that you’re doing outside school,” said junior Anastasia Yang. “You’re more likely to form friendships with people who have more similarities.”
Unlike normal friend groups, cliques tend to be more exclusive, and it’s difficult for outsiders to join. Junior Shirleen Fang attributes this tendency to a lack of open mindedness in cliques. “[Cliques] are not very open-minded about getting to know other people,” said Fang. Despite its private nature, junior Albert Hao chooses to brush the clique, not thinking that it is much of a problem that they exist. “I think cliques are fine for the health of a school because it’s real life. It’s not like all the cheerleaders are super demanding or all the football players are bullies. Obviously, cliques are still a bit exclusionary but most have friends so it’s not like cliques are terrible.”
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Science teacher Katherine Ward and English The word “clique” is deteacher Jim Daniel have their own theories on why rived from the French and how cliques form. Ward believes cliques origword “claque,” which is inate from an instinctive biological sense. “I think a group of audience the idea of ‘clique’ in a biological sense is something members who give in nature that is very protective… You have to be pre-arranged reable to know who belongs in your group and who doesn’t belong in your group because in terms of sponses in a survival in the wild… There is an idea of grouping, theater percliquing, social grouping is a protective mechanism formance
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teachers’ perspectives
in the wild,” Ward said. “There’s something protective about the belong to a group because then the group has a responsibility for your safety, and you have a responsibility for someone else’s safety.”
Sophomore Dasha Herrera thinks cliques are not a huge part of the culture at Aragon. “I don’t think there’s really social divide, mainly just groups of friends,” Herrera said. “[Cliques don’t] really affect me but I think it affects other people because sometimes you might not get along with other groups because you don’t have similar interests so I guess some people could get left out.”
11%
said that they were intimidated by cliques at work and 43% say that their office social life is dominated by cliques
wellness counselors discuss the psychology of cliques
Yet being part of a clique may feel safe and secure Both wellness counselors advocate for commuas people are searching for connection, Ma said. Ofnication within friend groups to prevent toxic ten, commonalities link individuals together, be it Daniel said he thinks cliques form early on in high environments from forming. sports, classes, culture or race. school due to environment and similarities among “Something that we see a lot is people Within groups, individuals may be officially or unofficially assigned roles, Ma said. members. “It’s often leftover from middle school… who might feel rejected by their friends, “Peo“There’s usually a leader, somebody who social circles or they live near each other… [or] simor all the sudden their friends arple who makes more decisions for the groups, ilar ethnicities I suppose,” Daniel said. Additionally, en’t talking to them anymore, but are in groups who dictates what happens, a peacethey didn’t tell them why, or Daniel does not believe that there are any dangermaker, if there’s ever conflict they will behave difare somebody who can help to somebody took something in ferently than when ous outcomes of cliques unless they are deliberately Social cliques resolve those things, people the wrong way, and [they you talk to them indiexclusive. “There isn’t anything wrong with having often form because who follow along and who vidually [because of the] maybe] didn’t mean it your core groups of friends… [but] cliques are bad people try to find othmaybe are kind of neutheory of groupthink,” Ma that way, but now tral [and] the distracers they identify with, said when… [they] make people feel like outcasts or said. “People feel less comtor, like the class there’s all this wellness counselor Jill Ma. outsiders which I’m sure is often the case,” Daniel clown type perfortable speaking up... when gossip,” Ma Wellness counselor Staysha said. son who tries you’re in a group, you will move as said. Veal added that it is natural to want make light of a group, whether somebody wants to to be part of a group. “[However], I things.” or not, you’re just kind of go along with think ultimately if it causes harm to othit. I think a lot of it is pressure and fear of er people or yourself; like you start makrejection… We meet students in groups, and ing decisions that are harmful for yourself and layout and graphics: sometimes what people share in groups is very making decisions that are harming other people Jamie Wang different than what they share individually, or how then it becomes not safe and negative,” said Veal. copy: Madeline Cho, they act among their friends is very different than Justin Im, Mikayla how they individually, and that’s just a very normal soKalisk, Kayla Li and cial behavior.” Jamie Wang
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lique
Cliques are, in essence, a variation of friend groups. However, cliques can be negative when they are restrictive and require members to follow strict guidelines for how to act. Within negative cliques are hierarchies, made up of followers who cling to a leader to keep their position in the group. The difference between a negative clique and a positive friend group is the amount of flexibility and freedom each member is allowed. In a friend group, members feel welcomed and open to being themselves. They have the freedom to drift between other friend groups without being held down to one. In cliques, members are occasionally pressured to follow set rules and maintain relations with individuals approved by the leader.
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Introvert