Does having an unusual name, such as Chastity, Englebert or Moon unit, have an effect on how a child develops? The results of some previous studies agrees with the commonsense idea that such as name could cause a child to be rejected or ridiculed and thus could have a negative effect on the child‘s intellectual or social development. It would seem logical that rejection and ridicule could cause a child to avoid social contact or lower motivation or interest in scholastic achievement. Two new studies, however, indicate that this is not so.

Once study which involved 23000 second to eleventh graders in Midwestern urban school district, found that unusual or undesirable names did not affect intellectual development. The other study, of 724 ninth and twelfth graders in two Midwestern high schools, found no problem in either intellectual or social development due to a person’s name. Apparently, concludes the first study, once we get to know someone, other characteristics besides their name become much more intellectual in how we react to them.
Because unusual names are often associated with ethnic groups, the research suggests that the apparent effect of names may actually be the effect of ethnic group membership. [But further research is needed to prove this.] Finally the research states that some evidence indicates that if a name does have an effect, which may rarely happen, it could be a positive effect as often as a negative effect. For example, an unusual name could help to “build character” or help you recall a person.

1. Which of the following statements is best supported by the new studies?
A. They study results are accurate for all school-age children up to the twelfth grade.
B. The results are valid only for urban midwestern schoolchildren
C. The idea that ones name is the most important factor in development is not correct

Is it C?

Yes, C.

Thank you so much

You are very welcome.

Yes, the statement that is best supported by the new studies is C. The idea that one's name is the most important factor in development is not correct. The studies found that having an unusual or undesirable name did not have any significant negative effects on intellectual or social development in school-age children. The studies also suggest that once we get to know someone, other characteristics besides their name become much more influential in how we react to them. Therefore, the studies indicate that the impact of a person's name on their development is not as significant as previously believed.