Peer Influence

1. Peer Influence Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence Friendship Play and Leisure Aging and the Social World Sociocultural Influences

2. Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence Peer Group Functions • Peers— individuals about the same age or maturity level • Peer groups provide source of information and comparison about world outside the family • Peer influences and evaluations can be negative or positive ___________________________________________________ • Early Childhood- • Frequency of peer interaction increases • Middle/Late Childhood- • Children spend increasing time in peer interaction • Average time spent- • 10% of time spent with peers at age 2 • 20% of time spent with peers at age 4 • 40% of time spent with peers during ages 7-11

3. Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence Social Cognition • 5 steps in processing social information- • Decode social cues • Interpret • Search for response • Select optimal response • Enact • Affects ability to get along with peers

4. Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence Peer Statuses Frequently nominated as a best friend; rarely disliked by peers Popular Receive average number of positive and negative nominations from peers Average Infrequently nominated as a best friend but not disliked by peers Neglected Infrequently nominated as a best friend; actively disliked by peers Rejected Frequently nominated as someone's best friend and as being disliked Controversial

5. Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence Neglected and Rejected Children • Neglected children: • Low rates of peer interaction • Often described as shy • Rejected children: • Have more serious adjustment problems • Less likely to engage in classroom participation • Show a desire to avoid school • More likely to be lonely • Not all rejected children are aggressive

6. Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence Bullying • Physical or verbal behavior with harmful intent • Significant numbers victimized- • Boys and younger middle school students • Victims of bullies reported more loneliness and difficulty in making friends • Those who did the bullying more likely to have low grades, smoke and drink alcohol

7. Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence Gender and Peer Relations • Gender composition • From age 3, children prefer same-sex groups • Group size • From age 6, boys prefer larger groups • Interaction in same-sex groups • Boys: organized group games, rough-and-tumble • Girls: collaborative discourse

8. Peer Relations in Childhood and Adolescence Adolescent Peer Relations • Peer pressure - peers play powerful roles • Cliques and crowds — to be liked and included • Peers play important role in individual development in all cultures • Cross-cultural comparisons

9. Cliques Average 5 to 6 people Usually same sex, age Formed from shared activities, friendship Crowds Larger than cliques Usually formed based on reputation May not spend much time together Friendship Cliques and Crowds

10. Friendship Friendship during Adolescence • Girls more intimate with friends than boys, more open in self-disclosures • More risk of delinquent behavior when friends are older, boys focus on power and excitement • Early maturers more at risk for delinquent behavior

11. Friendship Adult Friendship • Gender Differences- • Women • More close friends • More intimate; talk more • Men • More competitive • Engage in activities, especially outdoors • More cross-gender friendships than childhood but still prefer same-gender

12. Friendship Friendship in Late Adulthood • Important role; tend to narrow their social network • Choose close friends over new friends • Gender differences- • Women: more depressed without a best friend; no change in desire for friends • Men: decreased desire for new and close friends in older adulthood

13. Play and Leisure Childhood • Functions of play- • Health • Affiliation with peers and constraints • Cognitive development • Exploration • Tension release, master anxiety and conflict

14. Unoccupied Child not engaging in play as commonly understood; might stand in one spot Solitary Child plays alone, independently of others Onlooker Child watches other children play Parallel Child plays separately from others, but in manner that mimics their play Associative Play that involves social interaction with little or no organization Cooperative Play that involves social interaction in group with sense of organized activity Play and Leisure Types of Play

15. Aging and the Social World Stereotyping of Older Adults • Ageism: • Prejudice against other people because of age, especially prejudice against older adults • Personal consequences of negative stereotyping can be serious

16. Sociocultural Influences Individualism and Collectivism • Individualism- • Giving priority to personal goals rather than to group goals; emphasizing values that serve the self. • Collectivism- • Emphasizing values that serve the group by subordinating personal goals to preserve group integrity, interdependence of members, and harmonious relationships.

17. The media and culture- Reduced parents’ control of information Greatest influence in the U.S. Television- greater impact on children Positive and negative effects Violence and aggression, video games Computer and the internet- Highest risks to children and adolescents Effects on aging adults Sociocultural Influences Influences on Rites of Passage

18. Sociocultural Influences What Is Socioeconomic Status? • SES- • Grouping of people with similar occupational, educational, and economic characteristics • Number depends on community’s size, complexity • Low SES and middle SES • Each could have many subcategories • SES variations in neighborhoods, schools • Each level views education differently

19. Sociocultural Influences Family Socioeconomic Variations • Higher SES parents: • Stress ‘initiative’ and delayed gratification • Children are nearly equal participants in home rules, etc. • Less likely to use physical punishment • Less directive, more conversational • Lower SES parents: • Stress conformity • Exercise authority • Use physical punishment • More directive, use less conversation with children

20. Sociocultural Influences Who is Poor? • Women —feminization of poverty • Over 1/3 of single mothers; 10% of single fathers • Families and poverty • Economic pressure linked with parenting • Benefits to parents help children • Poverty, aging, and ethnicity • 10-12% overall, more among women and ethnic minorities; more than 25% of older women • Ethnic diversity continues to increase

21. Sociocultural Influences Ethnicity • Ethnicity and families- • Families vary by size, structure, composition, levels of income and education, kinship networks, and how family monitors/regulates behaviors • More single families in some groups • Ethnic minority parents are less educated • Children experience double disadvantage • Do not escape prejudice and discrimination • Stressful effects of poverty felt

22. Sociocultural Influences Ethnicity and Aging • Double jeopardy- • Ageism and racism • Health and wealth decrease faster for older ethnic minorities than for elderly white Americans • Coping mechanisms- • Extended family networks • Ethnic neighborhoods and groups • Churches and organizations