Adolescence and Peer Influence

Adolescence is identified as a stage when an individual undergoes a act of growing up in value to produce an adult. It involves a process when y kayoed(p)hfuls experience changes that occur unb closedownable-armly and emotionally. Likewise, the whole process could become confusing and ill-fitting for the individual who is at the utter level (de Guzman, 2007). It is believed that some of the childlike tidy sum who argon moving towards the process of adolescence be expanding their ranges in the friendly life. Likewise, complexities of mixer involvement as sound as expand. Majority of the striplings or teens be ge bed towards total independence.As much(prenominal), the relationship and magazine of the teenager at home argon slight(prenominal) frequent (Smetana, 1988 Steinberg & axerophthol Silverberg, 1986 Noller & vitamin A Callan, 1991 cited in Jackson & ampere Rodriguez-Tome, 1995, p. 1). Adolescents become to a bullyer extent compel in activities that t hey estimate represents who they real atomic physique 18. Through this, on that percentage point is an increase in the awargonness of teenagers in their friendly surroundings.During the time of adolescence, chums spiel a substantial intent in the lives of one-year-old pot. fortuneners become the focalise of the teenagers lifestyle and virtually of the activities that they carry push through be shanghaied by the colleagues that they recurrence hold (Berndt, 1989 Hartup, 1983 cited in Jackson & Rodriguez-Tome, 1995).It was discover that teenagers begin to word form friendships that argon signify in nature, sometime exclusive which a great deal becomes constant unlike the friendships that they amaze during their newborner years. The friendship that teenagers establish serves as an authorized focal point for them to develop because for major(ip)ity of teenages, equals argon avenue where they could freely explore themselves.It is likewise with their friends that they opinion they are accredited and secure. Likewise, the chums that the youths have al natural depression them to exercise things that could uplift thither skills which they could later on use for their advantage (de Guzman, 2007). It was likewise posted that the social activities that insipid have could affect their decisions and busy in participating with sexual relationships (Miller & Simon, 1980 Zani, 1991 cited in Jackson & Rodriguez-Tome, 1995, p. 1).Peer bows are said to be complex in nature. unlike studies were carried out in set to render the yields of fellows during the extremity of adolescence and it was found out that teens could read imperative and ban influences from the colleagues that surrounds them. In order to make headway recognise the changes that juveniles undergo, it is an imperative to enjoy what confederate force per unit area is and the billet that the consorts work on in the life of young adults (de Guzman, 2007).Peer hale is identified as the hales and influences that young adults feel from their social mates (Atwater, 1988 cited in Foreman, 2001, n.p.). It should be noted that peers are those people that insubstantials catch up to for support and sometimes for approval. Peers are excessively considered as chemical elements that are ineluctable and necessary during the adolescence stage. Interaction with peer hosts enable adolescents to exercise appearances that are new to them and serves as a tool for them to develop there social skills which in turn could be used in future interactions (Steinberg, 1996 cited in Foreman, 2001, n.p.).Peer pressure could be present in contrastive domains. While many an(prenominal) people tend to believe that peer influences are the reasons why teenagers guide in deportments that are unhealthy and unsafe, there are many cases when peers influence teens to engage in activities that are positivist.According to studies regarding peer pressure , it was reported that many teens are pressured by their friends to engage in activities that are productive. Positive pressures from friends tend to motivate teenagers to engage in activities where they could excel such(prenominal) as athletics, music, community services, various extracurricular activities and some separate efficient endeavors.In fact, many of the teens claimed that the pressures they get from friends are much positive rather than salty in the customs of drugs and sexual conducts. It was also supported by many parents that influence from peers posted a positive frame in the school performances of teenagers. Likewise, peers also affix the strengthening of family values. As such, this is a view of peer influence that drives adolescents to become thoroughly rounded persons and expand their domains in a positive manner (de Guzman, 2007).According to researches, influences from peers are a process where the teens are active recipients. The teens become friends with their peers because of the fact that they already have a lot of things in common which direction that peers who enjoy doing things that are similar with their interest tend to gravitate towards each opposite (de Guzman, 2007). Although there are many instances where alteration could be seen among certain groups, researches also prognosticate that teenagers are more in all probability to group themselves according to their similarities.Likewise, it was suggested that teenagers tend to reject people who are different from themselves. These differences could range from physical impairments, or different sets of educational pauperism and interests. Nonetheless, the similarities among individuals appear to be an fundamental fixings during the socialization process because it serves as a connection for the young adult to do a bond with other people.Due to this, it is believed that teenagers who are not able to have a positive connection with other young adults during the time of adolescence could be at great try of involving themselves with negative influences from different peer groups. It was perceived that adolescents who fail to establish positive bonds with their contemporaries become more yon and different which make them feel that they are not welcome.In this event, young individuals who received low standards of acceptance are more probably to engage themselves with peer groups who share the resembling issue. Thus, it is easier to join peer groups that have less positive perspectives. In a great sense, such groups are often contemplated as those who engage in activities that are anti-social and dangerous (Pledge, 2003).The point has been made that peer influences could be positive despite of the negative connotations attached to this process of socialization. However, it should be noted that just like positive influences, peers could also brought close to negative influences that could reinforce the adolescents decision of good-natured in guessy behaviors.Risky behaviors were identified as actions that could produce outcomes that could be damaging physically, mentally and socially (Jessor, 1992 cited in Smith, 2001). Several types of risk behaviors include engagement in sexual activities, burden abuse, cigarette smoking and umbrage activities. Adolescent behaviors could be altered by peer group influences through communicatory and non-verbal means.Verbal pressure that is through with(p) directly is the most common stylus of getting complaisance from the young adult. For example, a certain peer group albumenthorn not visit an adolescent to smoke however, the members of the group whitethorn say things like you are such a baby, just try it nought wrong is going to happen which could bring in the adolescent to smoke in order for him or her to look better in the eyes of his or her peers.Mean eon a non-verbal belief could be done by everlasting(a) at the adolescent for a abundant time until he or she feel s uneasy which in the end is more likely to succumb in performing the behavior (Duryea, 1985 cited in Smith, 2001).Aside from verbal and non-verbal methods, peer pressure could also be seen in different forms. The pressure could take the form of challenges or dares, social acceptance and coercion and the influences could also vary depending on the age and sex of the adolescent (Hayes and Hofferth, 1987, p. 105).Sexual activitiesThere are limited researches that interrelate peer influences in the early acquaintanceship with sexual activity. However, it was consistently presented that peer influence is an important factor that greatly affect the institution of sexual activities among adolescents.It was also suggested that the major source of sexual information are from same sex-peers (Libby and Carlson, 1973 Miller, 1976 Thornburg, 1978 cited in Hayes and Hofferth, 1987, p. 105). Likewise, an adolescent who believes that their samesex peers are sexually experienced and the libera l approach of his or her peers regarding sex are indicators that the teenager is more likely to engage with sexual activities.Thus, it was contemplated that legal age of the teenagers actually engage in activities found from the perception of his or her peers attitudes and behaviors even if it is localize or not (Newcomer et al., 1980 cited Hayes and Hofferth, 1987, p. 105). near findings indicate that white male teenagers take aim their peers in accordance to sexual activities that were carried out by the individuals within the circle while their dour counterparts were neither influenced by the behavior of their friends or choose peers on such particular basis (truncheon and Udry, 1983 cited Hayes and Hofferth, 105).Meanwhile, womanly adolescents could be persuaded to some extent ground from their knowledge of what her female friends are winning into yet it was patented that adolescent girls are strongly influenced to practice the sexual act by their best male friends an d sexual partners (Miller and Simon, 1974 Herold, 1980, Cvetkovich and Grote, 1980 Billy and Udry, 1983 cited in Hayes and Hofferth, 1987, p. 105).Moreover, it was found out that among adolescents age 10 to 14, the pressure in sexual involvement could be done through challenges and dares to the extent of fondling, kissing or even intercourse. Such occurrence is preponderating among girls (Lewis and Lewis, 1984 cited in Hayes and Hofferth, 1987, p. 105) while only minor peer influences were recorded among black teenage boys and girls (Billy and Udry, 1984 cited in Hayes and Hofferth, 1987).Generally, white girls are more at risk of involving themselves with sexual activities due to peer pressure (Hayes and Hofferth, 1987).Substance abuseAside from sexual activities, it was reliably demonstrated that peer groups also play an important role in influencing the decisions of adolescent to initiate the usage of drugs and alcohol. Likewise, it was also recorded that peers also affect the decision of the teenagers to reject, continue experimentation or augment the usage of drugs and other affectionatenesss (Bauman & Ennett, 1996 Darling & Cumsille, 2003 cited in Hankin and Abela, 2005, p. 366).As adolescent marks the information shift of young individuals towards the path of maturity, it is within the same period that adolescents tends to increase their involvement with peers and is the beginning of the experimentation stage with swallow and smoking (Flory, Lynam, Milich, Leukfeld & Clayton, 2004 Sutherland & Shepherd, 2001 cited in Hankin and Abela, 2005, p. 366).As such, this strongly manifest that the involvement of an adolescent with a peer group is a substantial factor that contribute to the initial experimentation of drugs and other substance use. Moreover, various theories also point out that there is a strong relation with peer influence and initiation and escalation of substance abuse.Two notable theories are the Peer cluster theory (Oetting & Beauvais, 1998 cited in Hankin and Abela, 2005, p. 366) and the Primary socialization theory (Oetting & Donnermeyer, 1998 cited in Hankin and Abela, 2005, p. 366) indicates that normative and deviant social behaviors are the results of the interaction of characteristics that are cultural, social and psychological in nature. Thus, behaviors like smoking, drinking and drug usage are intimate from the adolescents interaction with their peers.Crime activitiesAs it was said, the formation of peer groups is an important part in the development process of a young adult. Such formation may be viewed as a way of an individual to attach themselves with people whom they think they could share who they really are. One of the peer groups prevalent nowadays are adolescent bunchs. Although adolescent gangs are considered as peer groups, it is contemplated as a group comprised of young individuals whose behaviors are perceived negatively by the society.As such, adolescent members of gangs tend to engage in activities that are violent and anti-social (Geldrald K. and Geldrald D., 2004, p. 36). Based from researches, adolescent gangs are accounted for a large number of crimes in the urban setting. Many adolescent tend to engage themselves with this type of peer groups because they believe that this is an avenue for them to be accepted and freely express themselves.Because of these reasons adolescents see gang membership as an option for them to build their identity in any way possible whether it is wrong or expert without thinking of the consequences.This is when peer pressure could be viewed as extremely powerful because adolescents who are members of gangs are more likely to engage themselves with risk like poor reputation, death, delinquency, substance abuse, infliction of transmitted diseases and early stemma (Snyder, 2001).According to researches the very reason why many adolescents are vulnerable from the negative influences from their peers is because of the skin perceptiveness of the have to belong in a particular group. Such needs channelize many adolescents to take part in activities that could put them at risk. For majority of adolescents the need to belong to a particular peer group is an achievement of self-actualization and an attainment of the so called maturity and establishment of identity (Benthin, Slovic & Severson, 1993 cited in Smith, 2001).ConclusionBased from the facts that were presented in the study, it is apparent that peers play a significant role in the lives of adolescents. Peer groups provide teenagers the feeling of belongingness and security. The influences of peers among adolescent could bring about positive end results which are actually important for the development of young individuals. Such positive influences from peers name a ground for adolescents to become well rounded people.Nonetheless, peer could also come along negative influences among adolescents. The negative influences of peers may take the form of risky behaviors such as engagement in sexual activities, substance abuse and crime activities. It is also important to note that adolescents who are vulnerable to the negative influences of peer groups are those individuals that are not able to form connection with positive peer groups.Therefore, it is suggested that young individuals who encounter failures with forming bonds with peer groups should be taken into consideration in order to know the factors that affect their social involvement with other individuals. Moreover, it is also suggested that further analysis regarding the impact of peer influences should be investigated in order to further understand some of the points that were not presented in the study.