Transcript Adolescent Psychology

Chapter 9: Peer & Romantic Relationships
ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
Peer Relationships
 Groups
 Gender & Culture
 Dating & Romantic Relationship
 Emerging Adult Lifestyles

PEER RELATIONS
Peers: individuals of same age or maturity level
 Peer Group Functions

 source
of info about the world outside the family
 receive feedback about their abilities
 A source of social comparison

Changes
 Peer
time – twice as much time with peers than
parents
PEER RELATIONS
Essential for healthy social development
 Positive

 Symmetrical
reciprocity of relationships
 Principles of fairness & justice
 Intimacy skills
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Negative
 Rejection
& neglect…
 “corrupt influence”…
PEERS: CORRUPT INFLUENCE?

Are peer relationships a corrupt influence?
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Rejection & neglect by peers are related to an individual’s
subsequent mental health & criminal problems (Bukowski,
Brendgen, & Vitaro, 2007).
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Time spent hanging out with antisocial peers in adolescence
was a stronger predictor of substance abuse than time
spent with parents (Nation & Heflinger, 2006).
Deviant peer affiliation was related to adolescents’
depressive symptoms (Connell & Dishion, 2006).
FAMILY-PEER LINKAGES
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Parents -- authority over adolescents’ choices?
Strong motivation to be with their peers &
become independent
How can parents influence adolescent choice?
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Parents’ choices of neighborhoods, churches, schools, & their
own friends influence adolescent friend selection(Cooper & AyersLopez, 1985).
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Parents can model or coach their adolescents in ways of
relating to peers.
Secure parental attachment -- related to the adolescent’s
positive peer relations (Allen & others, 2003; Collins & van Dulmen, 2006).
PEER CONFORMITY
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Conformity: occurs when individual adopt the attitudes or
bx of others because of real or imagined pressure from them
•
Can be positive or negative
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Stealing, cursing, bullying…
Desire to be involved in peer world
Prosocial behaviors
Peer pressure: a pervasive theme of adolescents’ lives.
Developmental changes in adolescence often
bring about a sense of insecurity.
DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGES IN PEER CONFORMITY
PEER STATUS

Sociometric status: extent to which peers are liked
or disliked by their peer group
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Popular
Average
Neglected
Rejected
controversial
PEER STATUSES
Frequently
nominated as best
friend
Rarely
disliked by
peers
Actively
disliked by
peers
Infrequently
nominated as best
friend
Popular
Rejected
Controversial
Neglected
SOCIAL COGNTION & EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE

Social cognition
•
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Children move into adolescence & acquire more social
knowledge.
Adolescents vary in what they know about what it takes to
make friends.
Social cognitive perspective: adolescents may have difficulty
in peer relations because they lack appropriate social
cognitive skills (Dodge, Coie, & Lynam, 2006).
Emotional competence
•
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Moody & emotionally negative -- greater rejection by peers.
Emotionally positive -- more popular (Saarni & others, 2006).
HOW TO IMPROVE SOCIAL COMPETENCE
•
Conglomerate strategies (coaching): combination
of techniques to improve adolescents’ social skills.
• Modeling of appropriate social skills
• Discussion
• Reasoning
• Reinforcement
FRIENDSHIP

Friends: subset of peers; mutual companionship,
support, & intimacy.
•
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Relationships with friends are much closer & more involved
Do all adolescents have close friends?
Importance of Friendship
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Companionship, stimulation, physical support, ego support,
social comparison, intimacy & affection
Quality: Smooth vs. conflict
Friend’s character, interests & attitudes
SULLIVAN: CHANGES IN FRIENDSHIP
In Early Adolescence
• Dramatic increase in the psychological importance & intimacy of
close friends during early adolescence
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New mode of relating to others
Close relationship competencies
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self disclosure
Giving support
Managing disagreements
Friends play important roles in shaping children’s & adolescents’
well-being/development.
Fail to forge such close friendships -- experience feelings of
loneliness & reduced sense of self-worth.
FRIENDSHIPS
Emerging Adulthood
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Close relationships more integrated & similar
Number of friendships decline
Intimacy
Similarity
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Friends are generally similar.
Similar attitudes toward school, educational aspirations, &
achievement orientations
Same music, same style of clothes, & prefer the same
leisure activities (Berndt, 1982)
LONELINESS
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Loneliness can be chronic
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impaired physical & mental health (Cacioppo & Hawkley, 2003).
Loneliness or desire for solitude?
1st year of college -- loneliness
Reducing Loneliness
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Participate in activities that you can do with others
Engage in positive behaviors when you meet new people.
See a counselor or read a book on loneliness.
ADOLESCENT GROUPS
Formal & Informal
 Norms: rules for all
 Roles: group positions
 Group Function:

 Personal
needs
 Rewards them
 Provides information
 Raises self-esteem
 Gives them an identity
 Satisfy need for affiliation & companionship
CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENT GROUPS
Childhood groups differ from adolescent groups
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Childhood groups often are friends or neighborhood
acquaintances
groups usually are not as formalized as adolescent groups
Adolescent groups
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Tend to include a broader array of members
other than friends or neighborhood acquaintances
Opposite sex participation – mixed sex groups
Large crowd activities (mingling of groups)
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Tends to decline after late adolescence
ADOLESCENT GROUPS: CLIQUES & CROWDS
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Cliques: small groups; range from 2 - 12 individuals;
average 5 – 6 individuals
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Usually of the same sex & are similar in age.
Engage in similar activities
What do adolescents do in cliques?
Share ideas, spend time
 Develop “in-group” identity
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Crowds: larger group structure than cliques.
 Crowds
are less personal than cliques
 Defined by the activities adolescents engage in
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“jocks, populars, normals, druggies/toughs, nobodies”
ADOLESCENT GROUPS: YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS
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400+ national youth organizations currently in the U.S.
(Erickson, 1996)
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Junior Achievement; Girl Scouts & Boy Scouts
Political: Young Republicans & Young Democrats
Ethnic groups: Indian Youth of America
More likely to participate in community activities in
adulthood.
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Have higher self-esteem
Are better educated
Come from families with higher incomes (Erickson, 1982).
Practice interpersonal & organizational skills important for
success in adult roles
YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS
Why not?
 Adolescents:
 Lack
of interest in available activities
 Lack of transportation
 Lack of awareness about what is available

Parents:
 transportation
 costs