PEER GROUPPeer group
Peer groups, whose members have
interests, social positions, and age in common,
have an influence on the socialization of group
members.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE Analyze the importance of the peer group in
terms of childhood and adolescent socialization
PEER GROUPKEY POINTS
This is where children can escape supervision and
learn to form relationships on their own.
The influence of the peer group typically peaks
during adolescence.
However, peer groups generally only affect short
term interests unlike the family, which has long term
influence.
KEY POINTS
Peer groups can also serve as a venue for
teaching members gender roles.
Adolescent peer groups provide support for
children and teens as they assimilate into the adult
society decreasing dependence on parents,
increasing feeling of self-sufficiency, and connecting
with a much larger social network.
PEER GROUP
PEER GROUPKEY POINTS
The term "peer pressure" is often used to
describe instances where an individual feels
indirectly pressured into changing their behavior
to match that of their peers
PEER GROUPTERMS
Peer Group
A peer group is a social group whose members
have interests, social positions, and age in common.
Peer pressure
Peer pressure is the influence exerted by a peer
group, encouraging individuals to change their
attitudes, values, or behaviors in order to conform to
group norms.
PEER GROUPTERMS
Gender Roles
Sets of social and behavioral norms that are
generally considered appropriate for either a man or a
woman in a social or interpersonal relationship.
PEER GROUP
For instance, Andrew will certainly experience moments when his friends'
behavior and/or values contradict the norms and values he obtained from his
family. He has to learn to decide which norms and values to keep, reject, or
use and follow in certain situations.
PeersPeer groups allow children
to form relationships and
learn without the direction
of adults.
However, our peers also
give us a chance to
develop many of the social
skills we need as adults.
PEER GROUP
(4) FOUR FUNCTIONS
Getting along with others.
Developing Morals and Values.
Learning Appropriate Socio-cultural Roles.
Achieving Personal Independence.
PEER GROUP(1st ) First Function:
Getting along with others.a. In order for a child to successfully get along in group
settings, to establish a peer group and to form lasting
friendship, the child must have the necessary social skills.
b. This requires the child to be capable in a “give and take”
relationship.
c. The child must learn to consider another person’s
perspective, use effective communication skills, listen,
observe body language, compromise, negotiate, and
effectively balance the needs of him/herself and another
person.
PEER GROUP(1st ) First Function:Getting along with others.
d. Sometimes, as children learn and develop these skills,
they need feedback to monitor and adjust their
behavior.
e. Peers can give some of the most effective and clear
feedback.
PEER GROUP
(2nd) Second Function: Developing Morals and Values.
a) Our morals and values are, developed through the
interactions with other peers.
b) But this fact should be reassuring to us rather than
frightening.
c) Peers offer another source of learning, about what is right
and what is wrong, and what aspects of life are most
important.
PEER GROUP(2nd) Second Function: Developing Morals and Values.
Two theories of moral development:
Morality of Constraint –“doing the right thing” is valuable because it demonstrates
respect for an authority figure.
Morality of Cooperation –“learn right from wrong” based on mutual understanding
among equals and an acceptance of rules in order to
maintain the life of the group this response to, peers.
PEER GROUP(3rd) THIRD FUNCTION:Learning Appropriate Socio-cultural Roles.
a) It emphasizes the issue of gender and dating roles
here.
b) Certainly, people do learn a lot about societal
expectations and how to relate to the opposite sex
through their interactions with peers!
c) Expanding the notion of socio-cultural roles to include
roles such as work/career choices and
personality/character traits.
d) These are all a part of our process of socialization and
fitting into our socio-cultural roles in society.
PEER GROUP(4th) FOURTH FUNCTION: Achieving Personal Independence.
a) Physical Support: the provision of physical belongings
or material possessions, such as loaning a friend
clothing, toys, money, a car, etc
b)Social Support: the provision of acceptance,
belonging, companionship such as just hanging around
and talking, being available for a phone call in the
evening, sitting together at a ball game, etc.
PEER GROUP(4th) FOURTH FUNCTION: Achieving Personal Independence.
a) Intellectual Support: the provision of information
such as explaining sex to a friend, giving directions
to a party, discussing a school assignment or helping
with homework, etc.
b) Emotional Support: the provision of empathy and
understanding such as listening when a friend is
down, understanding why a friend is so mad at her
parents, being that “shoulder to cry on”, etc.
QUESTIONPeer group influence typically peaks during which phase of
development?
A) Early childhood
B) Late childhood
C) Adolescense
D) Early adulthood
ANSWERPeer group influence typically peaks during which phase of
development?
A) Early childhood
B) Late childhood
C) Adolescense
D) Early adulthood
WORKPLACETactics used in the on boarding process include formal
meetings, lectures, videos, printed materials and computer-
based orientations.
Employees with certain personality traits and experiences
adjust to an organization more quickly. These include
employees with a proactive personality, "Big Five" personality
traits, curiosity, and greater experience levels.
Information seeking occurs when new employees ask
questions of their co-workers to learn about the company's
norms, expectations, procedures and policies.
Also called networking, relationship building involves an
employee's efforts to develop camaraderie with co-workers
and even supervisors.
WORKPLACEEmployee experience levels also affect the on boarding
process such that more experienced members of the
workforce tend to adapt to a new organization differently from,
for example, a new college graduate starting his or her first
job.
Information seeking occurs when new employees ask
questions of their co-workers and superiors in an effort to
learn about their new job and the company's norms,
expectations, procedures, and policies.
Also called networking, relationship building involves an
employee's efforts to develop camaraderie with co-workers
and even supervisors.
REFERENCES
Boundless vets and curates high-quality, openly licensed content from around the Internet. This
particular resource used the following sources:
"Bolivian children 1."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bolivian_children_1.jpgWikipedia CC BY 2.0.
"gender roles."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/gender%20rolesWikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0.
"peer pressure."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/peer%20pressureWikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0.
"Socialization."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SocializationWikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0.
"Peer group."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer_groupWikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0.
"Boundless."
http://www.boundless.com//sociology/definition/peer-groupBoundless Learning CC BY-SA 3.0.
"Boundless."
http://www.boundless.com/Boundless Learning CC BY-SA 3.0.
CITE THIS SOURCE
Source: Boundless. “Peer Groups.” Boundless Sociology. Boundless, 14 Nov. 2014. Retrieved
14 Jan. 2015 from https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-
textbook/culture-and-socialization-3/agents-of-socialization-38/peer-groups-234-9603/
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