The popularity of students within the classroom in relation to school achievement, intelligence and teacher assessment

This research examines how the popularity of students in elementary school is related to school success, intelligence, and teacher assessments of student abilities. The study was conducted on a sample of 412 students from 1st to 8th grade of Elementary School Visoka in Split. Methods used in the study were progressive matrices, teacher assessments on the PROFNAD scale and a sociometric questionnaire. This research shows that more popular students have higher school achievement, higher intellectual abilities, and teachers rate their abilities higher, especially managerial ones. Most students are isolated. At biggest risk are the controversial and rejected ones. There are no gender differences in intelligence, school success, but teachers rate girls ’artistic abilities higher. Boys are more often rejected, while girls are more often isolated. Research of this kind is useful within the school itself because it leaves the possibility of interventions to improve the social status of isolated, rejected and controversial students.