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Adolescent Psychology

Chapter 9: Peer & Romantic Relationships. Adolescent Psychology. Peer Relationships Groups Gender & Culture Dating & Romantic Relationship Emerging Adult Lifestyles. Chapter Overview. Peers: individuals of same age or maturity level Peer Group Functions

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Adolescent Psychology

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  1. Chapter 9: Peer & Romantic Relationships Adolescent Psychology

  2. Peer Relationships Groups Gender & Culture Dating & Romantic Relationship Emerging Adult Lifestyles Chapter Overview

  3. 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

  4. Essential for healthy social development • Positive • Symmetrical reciprocity of relationships • Principles of fairness & justice • Intimacy skills • Negative • Rejection & neglect… • “corrupt influence”… Peer Relations

  5. 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). Peers: Corrupt Influence?

  6. 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). Family-Peer Linkages

  7. 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. Peer Conformity

  8. Developmental Changes in Peer Conformity

  9. Sociometric status: extent to which peers are liked or disliked by their peer group • Popular • Average • Neglected • Rejected • controversial Peer Status

  10. Peer Statuses

  11. 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). Social Cogntion & Emotional Competence

  12. Conglomerate strategies (coaching): combination of techniques to improve adolescents’ social skills. • Modeling of appropriate social skills • Discussion • Reasoning • Reinforcement How to Improve Social Competence

  13. 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 Friendship

  14. 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. Sullivan: Changes in Friendship

  15. 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) Friendships

  16. 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. Loneliness

  17. 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 Adolescent Groups

  18. Childhood 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 Childhood and Adolescent Groups

  19. 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: Cliques & Crowds

  20. 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 Adolescent Groups: Youth Organizations

  21. Why not? • Adolescents: • Lack of interest in available activities • Lack of transportation • Lack of awareness about what is available • Parents: • transportation • costs Youth Organizations

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