The Values and Character Dispositions of 14-16 Year Olds in the Hodge Hill Constituency

with those relatively more positive about success and pragmatism:

I prefer to fit in with the views of others

To be successful where I live you have to fit in

Telling the truth isn't a good idea if it gets people into trouble

A good person is intelligent

Earning a good income is my main aim in life

I think television influences my view of life

It is important that my friends approve of me

Subject without a qualification are not taken seriously by students

I would like more help form my teachers

Male students and Murpuri student responded relatively more positively to the first group
of questions (see Appendix 8c).

The consultant’s view was that Muslims would show a preference for the second group of
questions; ‘Fitting in with people is important, but only if people respect your identity’;
‘Immigrants are to respect local laws, not striving to fit in, but accommodating them as
far as is comfortable’; ‘Adults might say fitting in was important, because they might
interpret this as fitting into an Islamic community’. One the other hand, ‘respect for
elders or people in positions of influence and thinking of other people’s feelings is very
Islamic’.

Principal Component Four - personal responsibility versus being influenced by others

In interpreting PC4 it is important to remember that the very subtle distinction it
describes is one that only appears after each student’s general positiveness, bias towards
engagement or self image and bias towards family and school or success and pragmatism
have been taken in to account.

The contrast in PC4 (see Appendix 8d) is between those who are relatively more positive
about the elements of Question 1 and the influence of:

Grandparents

Other Family

Mother

Friends

Siblings

Father

Community Leaders

and those who are relatively more positive about a group of questions mostly relating to
taking personal responsibility:

I would like more time in school to discuss my ideas and learn about myself

I spend time thinking carefully about my actions

Citizenship is a useful subject in my school

My teachers treat me with respect

I try to think about other people’s feelings

I have a strong sense of what is right and wrong

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