Post on 19-Jan-2016
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ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGYChapter 9: Peer & Romantic Relationships
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
Negative Rejection & neglect… “corrupt influence”…
PEERS: CORRUPT INFLUENCE?
Are peer relationships a corrupt influence? Rejection & neglect by peers are related to an
individual’s subsequent mental health & criminal problems (Bukowski, Brendgen, & Vitaro, 2007).
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
• Parents -- authority over adolescents’ choices?
• Strong motivation to be with their peers & become independent
How can parents influence adolescent choice?• Parents’ choices of neighborhoods, churches, schools, &
their own friends influence adolescent friend selection(Cooper & Ayers-Lopez, 1985).
• 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
• Conformity: occurs when individual adopt the attitudes or bx of others because of real or imagined pressure from them
• Can be positive or negative• 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 Popular Average Neglected Rejected controversial
Popular Rejected
Controversial Neglected
Frequently nominated as best friend
Infrequently nominated as best friend
Rarely disliked by peers
Actively disliked by peers
PEER STATUSES
SOCIAL COGNTION & EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE
Social cognition• 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• 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.• Relationships with friends are much closer & more
involved Do all adolescents have close friends?
Importance of Friendship 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• New mode of relating to others• Close relationship competencies
• 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• Close relationships more integrated & similar• Number of friendships decline
• Intimacy• Similarity
• 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
• Loneliness can be chronic• impaired physical & mental health (Cacioppo & Hawkley,
2003).
• Loneliness or desire for solitude? • 1st year of college -- loneliness • Reducing Loneliness
• 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 GROUPSChildhood groups differ from adolescent
groups Childhood groups often are friends or neighborhood
acquaintances groups usually are not as formalized as adolescent
groups
Adolescent groups 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)
Tends to decline after late adolescence
ADOLESCENT GROUPS: CLIQUES & CROWDS
Cliques: small groups; range from 2 - 12 individuals; average 5 – 6 individuals 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
Crowds: larger group structure than cliques. Crowds are less personal than cliques Defined by the activities adolescents engage in
“jocks, populars, normals, druggies/toughs, nobodies”
ADOLESCENT GROUPS: YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS
400+ national youth organizations currently in the U.S. (Erickson, 1996)
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. 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