The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1949-01-01
u. ". AIDE TRIES SOCIOMETRY:
ASKS NlSEI WHOM THEY WOULD
PICK FOR CERTAIN SITUATIONS
Finds in His Test, Responded BY $50 of Students,
That Our Friends and Our Enemies Come from
Same Group, That We are Indifferent to Others

re Indifferent to Others
the physical scientists, namely, the
use Of the scientific method in faci-
litating the understanding Of social
While 1t Is difficult to
say very much ct this early stage Of
the development Of the scientific
technics In the social field. this
looks to be one of the most promis-
ing methods available. In fact, all
though crude at this stage, we now
have instruments which measure
socio-eccnomic status. communities.
health standards. government. hous-
ing conditions. and marriage. to
mention q few
The remainder Of this article
win be devoted to some Of the in
cidental findings Of . study I had
made last spring demonstrating
and testing . technique called So
GEOMETRY. This technique involved
asking students whom they would
choose for certain situations. such
~, leadership. friendship. dates.
and also, whom they would least
like 10 associate with. These ques-
lions were designed 20 reveal GER
tain attraction and rejection feel
ings NJ individuals under certain
conditions. Then, studying the
group ~ . whole, I was interest
I'd In ascertaining whether there
were any patterns Of attraction
and rejection more than mere
chance would indicate.
The group from whom I received
my data were students of japanese
ancestry registered at the Universe
ty of Washington, Spring Quarter.
1e4s. Approximately e6% Of the
students responded. and my preli-
minary analysis refers only to those
65%. or the 1856 Nisei students who
in this study. In other
words, It would be unreliable to In
fer from my findings that all Nisei
students behave 30 and 30, since .
proper sampling technique was not
employed.
My first Interest," was In the man
ner in which Nisei students chose
other Nisei students. that Is to say,
choices. On the question
WHO among the students seems to
you to have the best organisational
ability In group and club affairs7."
67% Of the choices were for other
Nisei students. On the question who
among the students seems to you to
have the best ideas about social mat
tersa", s1% Of the choices were for
other Nisei students On the ques-
tion. "who would you choose to
datea". TIL Of the choices were in
group. who are your best friends?"
brought an 80% in-group response.
The results 30 far clearly in.
dictate that the Nisei are least in
group about "organixational" affairs
and are much more in-group about
things social. A minor surprise
was the SO greater out-group
feeling on dates than on friend
ship. Since dates are normally
with the opposite sex, one would
off-hand expect less out-group
feelings on dates than on friend
ship. where one may choose an
individual Of the same sex.
Out OF curiosity. the choice pat
tern Of the members Of the J.S.C.
and Valeda was analysed on "who
are your best friends2" The results
were: J.S.C.. S1% in-eroup, and the
vs1edas. 87T in-group. These results
indicate a significantly stronger In
group pattern for JSC and valeda
members than for the Nisei as a
whole. according to this study.
Next. certain factors were select
ed for testing as to whether they
were associated with the choice CT
friends TO q greater degree than
chance would indicate. 80 far. two
factors have been analysed: they
are year In college and major scho-
lastic interest.
The analysis required the
classification Of all participants
according to each Of the above
categories; and the tabulation Of
the choices TO show the number
Of choices which each group, cIas-
sified according to the above cate
gories and regarding each rs an in
group, gave ta) to their own group
and 3D. 10 outside groups. That
In. did q freshman choose . fresh
man tin-group), or did . fresh
man choose outside Of his class?
Similarly, did . science major
choose q science major, or did he
choose someone outside Of his ma
jor field?