Civilian Morale

RONALD LIPPITT

Research and Statistical Service, Boy Scouts of America

THIS chapter will attempt to interpret the findings of those studies which have focused upon the behavior of face-to- face youth groups. The discussion of attitudes among college students is the subject of a separate section.^*

There are rather great limitations imposed upon the present discussion by the fact that only within the past few years have social scientists and group workers become interested in studying intensively the interpersonal dynamics of primary child and youth groupings. Rather than make any effort to summarize separately the findings of the several studies, the aim of the following discussion is to present a series of derived generalizations about "youth morale." These statements and interpretations are an attempt to tie together under headings which have seemed appropriate to the writer the various strands of data he has run across which are relevant to the topic of this volume. The volume of data upon which the various generalizations are based varies greatly, and of course the realm of youth groups to which a particular generalization will be applicable will vary also.

The majority of the definitions of morale -- which are multiplying so rapidly -- tend either to emphasize "personal morale" and deal with individual attitudes, hopes, etc., or to discuss "group morale" in terms of goals, the meeting of frustration, trust in

-119-