Cliques and Outcasts: A Study of a High School Social Structure essay sample

Social interaction is one of the major goals for high school students. Teenagers strive to self-fulfillment and recognition from their peers which allow young people to feel their own significance. However, some children fail to be recognized by peers which usually results in depression.

From the early age, children, especially girls, are predisposed to unite within small groups. Groups of friends are frequently called cliques, however, not all of groups can acquire this status. A distinct feature of any clique is an inherent structure of social organization within the group. Cliques require a hierarchy. Every clique has its leader, and the remaining members have to act as their leader wants them to. Most clique members voluntarily obey to their leader. However, many cliques contain people who feel that they do not truly belong to this group. They are always at odds with the moods of their leader, and sooner or later they become outcasts.

Psychologists point out that cliques are based on racial, cultural, and economic background. Looking at the high school society, we can hardly find cliques with a racially diverse community as well as children of rich and poor families put together. That is why cliques are so problematic – they  exacerbate class stratification and promote the rivalry between the polar groups.

Groups of close and intimate friends are not like cliques. Perhaps, they contain fewer members, but the relations between such teens involve equality and mutual understanding. Clique members may be rivals; they act to fulfill their personal interests. Close friends, on the other hand, care about the well-being of each other much more eagerly.