The Role of Peer Groups

Peer group is a term that refers to a social unit made up of individuals who share interests, age, or social status. This social unit serves as a source of information, feedback, and support to an individual.

In many cases, peer groups are a vital part of an individual's development. These groups serve as a way for children and teens to socialize and learn a variety of skills, including leadership, sharing, or teamwork.

During childhood, peer groups often have a positive impact on an individual's behavior and self-esteem. These groups can reinforce positive behaviors, and help an individual to change negative ones.

The role of peer group is important throughout an individual's life, but it especially plays a large part in adolescence. Adolescents often begin to develop a separate identity from their parents and exert more independence.

Research has shown that children with a low income can be negatively affected by peer pressure, and may not have the motivation to learn. Additionally, students with disabilities can also experience problems within their peer group, such as harassment or intimidation.

When working in a peer group, it is important to remember that members should trust one another. They should also be willing to share their successes, failures, and struggles with the other members of the group.

A Peer Group's Normative Code
The social structure of a peer group is defined by the rules and regulations that each member must follow. When a member deviates from the norm, it can lead to expulsion from the group.

Peer group cohesion is determined and maintained by such factors as group communication, group consensus, and group conformity concerning attitude and behavior. This can lead to a rigid normative code that is difficult to break, and may even result in rejection from the group.

Gender Influences the Role of Peer Groups
During the adolescent years, peer groups can play a significant role in an individual's development. These groups can influence an individual's personality and behaviors in a variety of ways, such as teaching members how to act in public or how to dress.

Studies have shown that adolescent girls are more likely than adolescent boys to resist peer pressure, and are less likely to become involved in risky activities or engage in violent behaviors. This may be because females are more mature and are able to resist peer pressure better than males.

A Peer Group's Influence on Adolescent Behaviour
When an adolescent becomes involved in risky behaviours or engages in violence, their peer group plays a huge role in this behavior. It is therefore important for adolescents to maintain strong friendships and befriend friends who do not engage in risky behaviours or engage in violence.

The relationship between peer group and adolescent behaviour is a complex interaction. Several variables are important, such as the friendships between adolescents and their peer groups, their autonomy from their peers, the type of behaviour that they engage in with their friends, and their level of protective behavior.