The influence of peers on adolescent development has been well documented in research. Adolescence is documented as a period of development in which peers begin to have a greater influence than parents (Schwinn & Schinke, 2014). Increased levels of peer interactions, with a decrease in parental interactions, are observed during adolescence. Increases in peer interactions can result in greater orientation toward peer conformity and acceptance, and an increased importance of close friendships (Telzer et. al, 2015). Adolescence is also marked by a heightened involvement in risky behaviors (underage drinking, illegal drug use, risky sexual behaviors). The presence of peers leads to more engagement in risky behaviors by adolescents. Numerous studies have shown that adolescents take more risks when in the presence of peers (Smith, Chein, & Steinberg, 2014).
Different theories posit how peers influence each other to engage in risky behaviors during adolescence. According to the Social Learning Theory, adolescents conform to behaviors they believe will earn them a high level of status among their peers (Balsa, Homer, French, & Norton, 2010). Through Social Learning, adolescents may engage in risky behaviors they have experienced or observed to be socially rewarding (Kretsch & Harden, 2014). Adolescents may receive reinforcement from their peers and continue to talk about or engage in risky behaviors as a result. Peer influence and peer selection have both been studied in risk
The HAHCA board members refuse to honor Citizen Ralph Timberlake’s Katzenjammer supplicants for permission to attend the HAHCA board subcommittee meetings. Far too long, Citizen Timberlake has sought a gratis copy of the legal authorities that authorizes the HAHCA board to encumber, any person attempts to attend the HAHCA subcommittee meetings, Alabama Citizen Timberlake’s attempts has been an exercise in futile, or to no avail. Given that the HAHCA is a governmental entity, the HAHCA board members are illegitimately denying Citizen Timberlake’s rogation to attend the HAHCA’s subcommittee meetings. Accordingly, the HAHCA board members are anathema to the Sunshine Open Meeting Laws; consequently, the HAHCA board members unlawfully renounce Citizen Timberlake’s entreaties to attend the board subcommittee meetings are revolting. Secretary Merrill, the HAHCA board members are committing misfeasance; HAHCA board members are flagrant violating Alabama Citizen Timberlake rights, their defilement tantamount to the action of a Mephistophelian. Inconsiderately, the HAHCA board members are marginalizing Citizen Ralph Timberlake and his beseeches to
Despite self-awareness, a person makes many decisions everyday, even if many are subtle. Getting out of bed, deciding what clothes to wear, and even the attitude you display to others. While there are many factors that contribute to these decision making, a major factor is who your peers are. Peers, whether they be a close friend, family member, or even a teacher, can influence what you aspire to do, and how you live your life. In The Other Wes Moore, peers’s play a big role shaping the lives and decisions of both Wes’s, further leading them to their places in the current world, just as peers have shaped my sister, Katie’s decisions as well. Friends heavily influence teenagers, attributing to teens’ stubbornness. By setting examples to follow, peers either set positive or negative standards that teens attempt to assimilate, gaining either positive or negative traits.
A teenagers risk taking is a crucial part of their brains development and can significantly benefit their growth as a person. Recent test have shown that in social situations, teenagers are more likely to take risks. In the article, Beautiful Brains, the author, David Dobbs, discussed a study in which teenagers played a game alone, then with people in the room. “When teens drive the course alone, in what Steinberg calls the emotionally ‘cool’ situation of an empty room, they take risks at the same rates that adults do.” (Pbs.org) This shows that teenagers are capable of making good decisions and taking the same amount of risks as a developed adult. So many parents assume that they take unnecessary risk, when really, the teenager knows exactly
“You never understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Atticus Finch, To Kill A Mockingbird. When I was nine years old my family and I moved from Marshall, Texas to Harleton, Texas. Making this move had a significant impact on my childhood due to the fact that I was taken from the town I had spent the first nine years of my life in only to begin an entirely new life in another town I had never even been to. I was taken from my friends and family, and I was faced with having to adjust to a whole new world. I didn’t realize it at the time, but this move and the experiences I would have would shape my life and make me the person that I am today.
Peer pressure is considered “encouragement to conform to ones friends or contemporaries in behavior, dress and attitude (Berger, 2011). Peer pressure has been found to increase in early adolescents when the need for approval is high, then drops later in adolescents with the development of a more autonomous self. With regards to situation, pressure to participate in neutral and pro-social behaviors are more strongly influenced by peer pressure than antisocial behaviors (e.g. drinking, smoking, and sexual behaviors). Students will follow a group more willingly if they are doing socially acceptable behaviors versus a behavior that would get them in trouble. Gender difference occur in willingness to participate in antisocial behaviors, boys tend to be more willing to follow peers than girls (Brown, Clasen & Eicher, 1986). Though teenagers are more inclined to follow friends who are doing socially acceptable behaviors it is not uncommon for a group of teenagers to make collectively bad decisions. Peer pressure and acceptance is a strong force in an adolescent’s life, even the best kids have been known to join the “wrong crowd” and make decisions that could negatively affect them for the rest of their
When a child reaches the age of ten and up, no matter what gender, their behavior changes. The transition from childhood to adulthood goes through puberty, a period in life where adolescents are inclined to do actions that are risky like smoking, having unprotected sex and drinking alcohol. However these actions vary depending on ethnicities. The objective of this essay will be to compare and contrast risky activities, parental control and peers pressure to two different ethnic groups from America, white and black teens.
For many years I have struggled with a career choice. I have known for quite some time that I wanted to do something with animals but I wasn’t sure what that was. When I began my freshman year in college I was on the line of whether I wanted to be a full on Veterinarian or get a degree as a Veterinary Technician. Now, with the end of my freshman year approaching, I have decided to be a Veterinary Technician. Although some believe that a career as a Veterinarian is better, I believe a career as a Veterinary Technician is good because salaries are decent, it doesn’t require as much schooling, and helping animals is very satisfying to animal lovers like
As children enter adolescence, cultural, biological and cognitive changes cause variation in their daily lives. Adolescents spend far less time with their parents and begin participating in both structured and unstructured peer activities.Without the direct presence of their parents or other adults, their peer network begins to become the primary context for most socialization and activity. These social "cliques" fundamentally influence adolescent life and development.Perhaps because they are perceived as an external threat to parental authority, undesired changes in adolescent behavior are often attributed to cliques.In these situations, cliques are described as "social grouping[s] of persons that exhibit a great deal of peer pressure on its members and is exclusive, based on superficial differences".Researchers, however, question these assumptions: based on empiric data from both experiments and ethnographies they suggest that clique structure characterizes many friendship networks within any given school, not all of which negatively affect adolescents.A more neutral and scientific definition of clique is "a grouping of persons who interact with each other more regularly and intensely than others in the same setting."
The time period from late adolescence to the late 20s thus relates to both social-role changes and biological development (Djordjevic, 2010). Additionally, how capable an individual is able to manage these transitions is most likely to influence and be influenced by, mental health (Schulenberg & Zarett, 2006). The greater self-selection and reduction of institutional support during emerging adulthood seem to be good for most individuals, but may also be debilitating for those of who it jeopardizes to overwhelm their coping-capacity (Schulenberg & Zarett, 2006). However, possible strain from the major transitions of emerging adulthood do not necessarily have long term effects and may result only in momentary disturbances (Schulenberg & Zarett,
Conformity to risk-taking of adolescents versus adults. Individuals are more likely to conform when behaving publically rather than alone. This may be based on the need to meet the group’s expectation in an attempt to gain acceptance and appear favorable. However, the way social groups influence individuals’ attitudes and behaviors varies, and a reason for these variations may be due to age. Gardner and Steinberg (2005) investigated the effects of peer pressure on risky thoughts and behaviors and how these factors influence different age groups of adolescents, young adults, and adults. Gardner and Steinberg (2005) hypothesized that risk taking thoughts and behaviors decrease with age, risk taking thoughts and behaviors will increase when
For example, if one adolescent participates in early sexual initiation, other adolescents from his/her peer group are then more likely to form the attitude this action is appropriate and then also participate in the same risky behavior. Therefore, if an adolescent is allowed the opportunity to interact with risk-taking peers, positive family factors may no longer be a protective factor against risk taking behaviors (Smith et al. 2005). However, if parents are aware that their adolescent’s peer group participates in risky behaviors and restrict their adolescent’s involvement in the peer group, this parental monitoring may buffer the negative impact of the peer group. On the other hand, if a parent is less involved, possibly due to parenting stress, maternal depression, etc., then an adolescent may continue engaging with the risk taking peer group. Continued exposure to a group of risk taking peers will in turn influence the adolescent’s own risk taking attitudes and behaviors (Galan, 2016).
The middle adolescence phase is highly influenced by peer group involvement. Friends become the primary source of influence on the young people’s behavior (Neinstein, Gordon, Katzman, Rosen, & Woods, 2009, p. 16).
Children become rule based and listen when spoken to. School plays a large part in this since teacher educate kids to listen, sit down quietly and work in small , in the future will be vital for real life work in adulthood.("Stages of Growth Development," 1898-1987). In this stage of life Piaget’s cognitive theory comes into play. Children in this stage in life are more concrete operational, meaning that they deal with visible, tangible things. They become more systematic. Peer relationships and best friend are crucial at this stage, this helps children have deeper relationships while heading into adolescence and can help determine if they will be able to hold a relationship as adults (Stassen Berger, 2009). Social trend, such as violence, eating disorders and even drug use are seen more readily in ages seven to twelve years old. This increasing pressure in schools to recognize the problem and develop more activities such as sports, music, and social events to help children stay active and away from drug use, this eventually helps in adolescence and young adulthood years.
In study after study, peer pressure is associated in adolescents of all ethnic and racial backgrounds with at-risk behaviors such as cigarette smoking, truancy, drug use, sexual activity, fighting, shoplifting, and daredevil stunts. Again, peer group values and attitudes influence more strongly than do family values the level of teenage alcohol use. The more accepting peers are of risky behavior, and the more they participate in that behavior, the more likely a person is to do the same thing.
In “Ecology of Youth Collective Socialization”, Nicotera, Williams, and Anthony argue that multiple social ecology influences of peers, school, as well as neighborhoods are extensively related to youth’s well-being, as well as misconducts. Within the article written, the intended audience consists of scholars, professionals, parents, as well as current and future researchers. The three authors submitted multiple hypotheses regarding the influences of peers, school, as well as neighborhoods on today’s youth while omitting familial influences.