Peer Group Influence
From a very tender age peer group influence is being felt. The immediate peers any youngster has are his/her parents, and the child’s perception of identity and social environment will be gained at this time.
When a young person moves out of the home for the first time to school, and the outside community, the peer influence changes. New attachments to friends and classmates are formed, and these new relationships influence behavior. As the friendship develops, these influences can have a lasting effect.
The peer influence on behavior can become a strong factor, and some social groups believe that this kind if peer influence can often outweigh parental influence. Because –
a). The child learns that although friendship is shared, the values, attitudes and feelings of the other person can be different.
b). The realization of these differences can cause the child to re-examine his/her own family relationship. Do the loyalties lie with the parents or do they lie with the peer group?
c).This can be very difficult for the child to adjust to the idea, that all which has been learned from his/her first peer group (the parents), can be radically different from other families. Confusion will arise as to how other families can have the same attitudes and basic beliefs and be equally secure.
d). In terms of peer influence, the new peer group influence causes the child to question how they feel, not only about themselves, but about their family also.
For the child, peer influence is important in the development of social interaction skills. From such interactions the growing child will learn –
- How to deal, negotiate, and build a relationship with other people, including the peers of the newly introduced person. The skills of general communication will be experienced.
- Influence will be felt about how to cooperate and socialize within the norms of group behavior.
- More material influences will be experienced in the form of what the child values and has knowledge of. It can extend to the eating and dressing preferences of the child.
- There are obvious restraints on the degree of influence which can depend on the nature and behavior of the peer group, the age, and personality of the child.
Peer group influence can work for the good in the child’s development. It teaches communication skills and social problem solving. But it can also have adverse effects. Especially if the peer group is demanding blind obedience to what the group considers to be the norm. This situation can be dangerous.
Written by admin on April 2, 2011 under Influence by Theme.
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