Peer Groups

Definition

Peer groups are groups of individuals who are similar in age, background, and social status, and who interact with and influence each other. These groups play a crucial role in the socialization process, particularly during adolescence and young adulthood, as they provide a sense of belonging, identity, and social support.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Peer groups are important agents of socialization, as they shape an individual\'s attitudes, values, and behaviors through social interaction and peer influence.
2. During adolescence, peer groups become increasingly important as individuals seek to establish their own identity and independence from their family.
3. Peer groups can have both positive and negative influences on an individual\'s development, such as promoting academic achievement or engaging in risky behaviors.
4. Individuals often use their peer groups as a reference group, comparing themselves to their peers and conforming to the group\'s norms and expectations.
5. Peer groups play a significant role in socialization across the life course, as individuals continue to seek social acceptance and belonging through their relationships with peers.

Review Questions

• Explain how peer groups function as an agent of socialization during adolescence.
  • Peer groups are a critical agent of socialization during adolescence, as they provide a sense of belonging and identity that becomes increasingly important as individuals seek independence from their families. Adolescents often use their peers as a reference group, comparing themselves to their peers and conforming to the group\'s norms and expectations. This peer influence can shape an individual\'s attitudes, values, and behaviors, both positively and negatively, as they navigate the challenges of this developmental stage.
• Analyze the role of peer groups in socialization across the life course.
  • Peer groups continue to play a significant role in socialization throughout an individual\'s life course. Even as people age, they often maintain close relationships with their peers and use these groups as a source of social support, identity, and belonging. Peer groups can influence an individual\'s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors at various stages of life, from childhood to old age. The importance of peer groups may shift, but they remain a crucial agent of socialization that helps shape an individual\'s development and integration into society.
• Evaluate the potential positive and negative influences of peer groups on an individual\'s development.
  • Peer groups can have both positive and negative influences on an individual\'s development. On the positive side, peer groups can promote academic achievement, encourage prosocial behaviors, and provide a sense of belonging and support. However, peer groups can also exert negative influences, such as encouraging risky or deviant behaviors, reinforcing unhealthy attitudes or beliefs, and contributing to peer pressure and conformity. The impact of peer groups ultimately depends on the specific norms, values, and behaviors of the group, as well as the individual\'s ability to critically evaluate and navigate the influences of their peers.

Related terms

Socialization:

The process by which individuals learn the values, norms, and behaviors that are appropriate for their society or social group.

Reference Group: A group that individuals use as a standard for evaluating themselves and their own behavior.

Conformity:

The act of aligning one\'s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors with the norms of a group.