Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Related Literature
According to Calpito (1998) as cited by John Donne, one of the
objectives of modern education is the social adjustment of individuals since
man is considered as a social animal and as no man can live like an island
while journey through life. All educators are aware of the fact that the
individuals

academic,

social,

emotional,

physical,

spiritual

and

psychological growth can be affected favorably or adversely by their

interpersonal relationships, within a group or in a society . The social
atmosphere in the group is largely nested and manifested by individuals
interactions and their functioning.
She furthered explained that through people have the physical ability
to exist individually and alone , we are also social animals who thrive and
grow when involves with others. This ability to interact with others,
understands them, and interprets their behavior known as interpersonal
intelligence. According to Gardner, Interpersonal Intelligence is seen in how
we notice distinction among others; in particular, contrasts in their moods,
temperaments, motivations and intentions. He also Stated that Those
who have strong interpersonal intelligence are good understanding and

interacting with other people. These individuals are skilled at assessing the
emotions, motivations, desires and intentions of those around them.
Summing up,

on strong interpersonal communication skills as

mentioned by Marsh (2000) included such as mutual relationship, social

awareness, extroversion and communication. On the other hand, isolation,
distrust, shyness and alienation resulted to low level interpersonal
communication skills. Thus, this gave the researcher an idea on how the
questionnaire

flows

by

including

strong

and

weak

interpersonal

communication skills in the items.

Interpersonal skill, These sorts of skills have long been recognized as
important for success in school and the workplace, said Stephen Fiore,
professor at the University of Central Florida, who presented findings from a
paper about these skills and how they might be assessed (Salas, Bedwell,
and Fiore, 2011).1 Advice offered by Dale Carnegie in the 1930s to those
who wanted to win friends and influence people, for example, included
the following: be a good listener; dont criticize, condemn, or complain; and
try to see things from the other persons point of view. These are the same
sorts of skills found on lists of 21st century skills today .
It seems clear that these are important skills, yet definitive labels and
definitions for the interpersonal skills important for success in schooling and
work remain elusive: They have been called social or people skills, social
competencies, soft skills, social self-efficacy, and social intelligence, Fiore

said (see, e.g., Ferris, Witt, and Hochwarter, 2001; Hochwarter et al.,
2006; Klein et al., 2006; Riggio, 1986; Schneider, Ackerman, and Kanfer,
1996; Sherer et al., 1982; Sternberg, 1985; Thorndike, 1920). The previous
National Research Council (NRC) workshop report that offered a preliminary
definition

of

21st

century

skills

described

one

broad

category

of

interpersonal skills (National Research Council, 2010, p. 3):

Social or interpersonal skills are Skills in processing and interpreting
both verbal and nonverbal information from others in order to respond
appropriately. A skilled communicator is able to select key pieces of a
complex idea to express in words, sounds, and images, in order to build
shared understanding (Levy and Murnane, 2004). Skilled communicators
negotiate positive outcomes with customers, subordinates, and superiors
through social perceptiveness, persuasion, negotiation, instructing, and
service orientation (Peterson et al., 1999).
The multiplicity of names for interpersonal skills and ways of
conceiving of them reflects the fact that these skills have attitudinal,
behavioral, and cognitive components, Fiore explained. It is useful to
consider

21st

century

skills

in

basic

categories

(e.g.,

cognitive,

interpersonal, and intrapersonal), but it is still true that interpersonal skills

draw on many capacities, such as knowledge of social customs and the
capacity to solve problems associated with social expectations and
interactions. Successful interpersonal behavior involves a continuous

correction of social performance based on the reactions of others, and, as

Richard Murnane had noted earlier, these are cognitively complex tasks.
They also require self-regulation and other capacities that fall into the
intrapersonal category (discussed in Chapter 4). Interpersonal skills could
also be described as a form of social intelligence, specifically social
perception and social cognition that involve processes such as attention
and decoding. Accurate assessment, Fiore explained, may need to address
these various facets separately

Foreign Studies
Levinson(1996) tested the effects of Adolescent Competence Training
(ACT), self-esteem skill and social skills in an upper middle-class sub-urban
middle class. This study involved forty-seven eight gracers divided into
comparison and Treatment Groups at a Connecticut Middle School. Teachers
of the group administered the Piers-Harries Children Self-Concept Scale and
the ACT Questionnaire for Students. The author average Cognitive Index
Skills; by gender and with two previously studies, diverse population using
the ACT Questionnaires for Students.
The findings stated that ACT did not seem to have a positive effect on
self-esteem or social skills. Divided by CSI, higher level students scored
better than females lower. Lower socio-economic students made much
greater grains than this Treatment Group. Some possible conclusions made

were; (1) raising social skills and self-esteem is a very difficult task that
takes more time. (2) raising self-esteem and improving social skills using
ACT for females is in need of further study. (3) raising self-esteem and social
skills using ACT for females is better for lower socio-economic group in need
of further study; (4) raising self-esteem and social skills using ACT for
students of higher intelligence is in need of further study.

The study of Ruiselova (1995) analyzed the interpersonal intelligence

within the framework of Howard Gardner (1983, 1994) Theory of Multiple
Intelligences Correlation between the A. Antonovskys (1993) Sense of
Coherence Scale Variable and I.M Deusingers (1986) Self-assesment of Selfconcept method as measured by Frankfurter Selfstkonzeptskalen (FSKN)
were sought in 155 male military officers and with high school students. It
was concluded that either Antonovskys or Deusingers scale could be
recommended for the study of the role of self-assesment of coping in the
context of personal intelligence.

Local Studies
Salvacion as cited by Salubayba 1994, conducted a study on the
relationship of personal and social adjustment with academic performance
of 74 low achieving students in mathematics. The study found out that the

personal adjustment of the learners has significant correlation between

sense of personal worth and academic performance. As to social
adjustment, a significant correlation exists only between anti-social
tendencies and family relations with academic performance.
Theoretical Framework
The importance of society and its effects on human development
emphasized as the foundation of personality theory as asserted by
Sullivans Interpersonal Theory. Harny Stack Sullivan (1953) theorized that
interpersonal relationship among individuals is one aspect that would
improve a persons personality. The reciprocity of human being to one
another is a key structure and that interpersonal relationship is the
foundation of personality as agreed by Bishop(1964). Sullivan believed that
personality was never fixed and was always subject to the modifications
occasioned by new interpersonal relations to ones overall development.
According to psycho analyst Erickson (1930), the development
changes occurring throughout a persons life can be viewed as a series of
eight stages. It encompasses changes in our interactions and understanding
of one another as well as members of society. The suggest that individuals
experience positive psychosocial challenge. The academic recognition ans
social approval they obtain help them to continue productive activities and
complete task successfully. (Grasha, 1980).

Piagetian constructivist argue that individual childs cognitive ability

develops during his or her interaction with reality through own experiences.
New knowledge is constructed when learners link their former knowledge
and experiences. It is further contended by Vygotsky and other sociocultural

constructivist

that

each

individual,

as

the

contextualized

individual, his or her learning is facilitated by his or her social interactions

with others and what and how much students learn and remember is
influenced by their beliefs, goals, expectations, affect and motivation.
(Paris, 1994)
Human actions are mark by quality of human intelligence and the
capacity to perceive and to create relationship according to gestalt theory.
This understanding of relationships steer mans action. To teach and learn
one must interact with others. (Josephine C. Gonzalo)
Socialization likewise refers to the shaping of human relationship.The
need to belong to a group is stronger than to assert ones individual
identity.

This

is

reflected

in

behavior

among

Filipinos

that

shows

pakikisama (togetherness), smooth interpersonal relationship (SIR)

tayo-tayo (us aand we-ness), and bayanihan (unity and cooperation as
viewed by cone (1990).
Having

interpersonal

skills,

man

establishes

personal

identity,

expresses thoughts and feelings, engages in collaborative activities with

others and satisfies the needs for affiliation with others. It appears the

balance theory can provide a means for organizing substantial amount of

what we know about how people come to like or dislike one another.
Balance Analysis applies specially to some of the existing research on
interpersonal attraction.
Social

psychological

theory

suggests

our

tendencies

toward

consistency and homogeneity in our own ideas i.e., toward cognitive

balance, such as toward liking someone when we perceive as liking us,
(Aquino, 1998)

Mc Clelland (1995) espoused another theory called the achievement

motive theory. According to him, there are three basic motivating needs
power, affiliation and achievement. People with a high need to power, as
claimed by Mc Clelland and other researchers have a great concern to
control and influence others. These people are positive- seekers and
outspoken and conversationalist, forceful, hardheaded and demanding. To a
wide extent, people with a high need for affiliation specializes in smooth
interpersonal communication relations and are concerned over the affairs of
other people.

Conceptual Framework

Some people with high interpersonal skills have the ability to proper
communication skills in order to create and maintain good relationships
with other individuals. These individuals also believe that the ability to
successfully maintain these good relationships boosts the self-esteem,
which helps him to further improve his skills. One of these skills is the
ability to motivate and encourage other individuals. The ability to achieve
this successfully helps to maintain work morale and efficiency. By doing so,
he is capable of influencing others.
Every individual learns through the process of socialization. As stated
in the theory of Jean Piaget, every individual undergo series of stages and
as the child goes interaction with people around him takes place. And that
is when the process of learning and gaining self confidence occurs. With the
help of his significant others such as parents, brothers, sisters, relatives,
and other members of the society, he could be able to adapt and interact
with other people appropriately and accordingly.
Interpersonal skills are cultivated by the list of defined objectives. He
claims that every human being is able to establish partnerships with other
like-minded individuals to increase resources of idea. Another facet of
effective interpersonal skills is to give praise to cohorts when it is due.
Praise acts such as motivation to do a good job and make encouragement
and incentives for behaviors you want to continue seeing. Individual must
be able to help others reach their fullest potential by offering guidance,

mentoring and support. Each of us should identify mutuality of both team

and personal success. Finally, it could be suggested that trusted individual
with high interpersonal skills are attentive to emotional cues and show
caring for others.
Individuals have to be nurtured and maximize not only his intellectual
achievement but

also social, emotional and spiritual growth. Individuals

benefit from being able to empathize with young people, to show that to
some degree they understand their world as they are experiencing it. It is
therefore true that giving of oneself to establish and maintain quality
relationships to others is one of the most challenging and an important
quality in dealing with other people.
Interaction with others creates wholesome interpersonal relationship
with their peers and other members of the community. Consequently, unity
prevails and gives each of us chance and ease to manage our behavior that
greatly affects our attitude toward intellectual and social path. People in
this category and usually extroverts, and are characterize by their
sensitivity to others moods, feelings, temperaments and motivations and
their ability to cooperate in order to work as a part of a group. They
communicate effectively and empathize easily with others, and maybe
either leader or followers. They typically learn best by working with others
and often enjoy discussion and debate.

People with highly manifested interpersonal skills are friendly and

demonstrate general warmth, caring and respect. To develop good
interpersonal skills requires empathy, honesty and trust, tolerance,
awareness and setting aside of self. (Collinson, 1999)
Operational Paradigm of the Study
Figure 1 shows which study will be undertaken. It shows the demographic
profile of Elementary Education Students and the level of interpersonal
skills.

Figure 1

Paradigm of the Present Study

Independent
Dependent

Demographic Profile of
Elementary

Education

Students
a. Sex
b. Age
c. Family Income

Level of interpersonal
skills

of

Elementary

Education Students

The paradigm shows the Profile of The Elementary Education Students and
level of their interpersonal skills.
It could be gleaned from figure 1 the relationship of the demographic
profile and interpersonal skills of Elementary Education Students. It has
been hypothesized from this study that demographic profile of Teacher
Education can be an independent variable that can affects the intrapersonal
skills of Elementary Education students (dependent variable). Furthermore,
there is no manipulation on the independent variables.