Friendships are the closest relationships that children have with individuals of their own age (Berndt) and establishing positive relationships with peers is seen as a vitally important developmental task during childhood (Sroufe and Rutter, 1984). Piaget (1932/1965) argued that close peer relationships were essential for the development of morality and the influence exercised on children by their peers has long been recognised. Bronfenbrenner (1970) argued that peer pressure leads to antisocial behaviour by adolescents, including the expression of aggressive behaviours. Aggression is an important behaviour to consider because it is known to have a negative impact on development. Childhood aggression reliably predicts aggressive behaviour in adolescence (Cairns et al, 1989) and has emerged as the strongest risk factor for delinquency, crime and substance abuse during adolescence and adulthood (Patterson et al, 1991). If research can shed light on the causes and moderators of childhood aggression it may be possible to develop effective interventions that reduce the aggressive child’s risk of falling into long term antisocial behaviour. While research on the link between peer relationships and aggressive behaviour among children has often been inconsistent, even contradictory, it has emerged that where aggressive children form friendships, the friendships are likely to be forged with those children who also display aggressive behaviour. However, the precise nature of the relationship between friendship and aggression remains unclear. It is possible that aggressive children actively seek out aggressive peers and that the friendship develops as a result of the similar levels of aggression. It is also possible that children learn aggre...
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In 1992, a group of Norwegian researchers conducted a study of girls. “They found girls participate in aggression, but they express their anger in unconventional nonphysical ways” (Simmons 20). Another group of experts from the University of Minnesota continued with these findings and found the girl’s aggressive behavior should be classified into three subcategories; relational, indirect, and social aggression” (Simmons 21). An example of relational aggression would be ignoring someone or giving them the “silent treatment” which can be very traumatic for the victim. They wonder what they...
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As aggression in the media increases, studies examining its effects on human behavior do as well. It is widely accepted that physical aggression is characterized by physical violence. On the other hand, social aggression is characterized by both verbal and nonverbal actions typically ranging from gossip and rumors to ignoring peers. While a plethora of studies have focused on physical aggression, there are some that indicate pertinent information relating to social aggression. One study conducted by Crick, Bigbee, and Howes, indicates that there is a higher prevalence of social aggression among females than males, while another conducted by Coyne and Archer found 92% of programs popular among adolescents aged 11-14 contained acts of social
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Influence plays a major role in their overall development. Promoting social and emotional skills and intervening in cases of difficulty very early in life will be effective for promoting positive experiences among children. Peers play important roles in children’s lives at much earlier points in development. Experiences in the beginning of life have implications for children’s acceptance by their classmates in nursery school and the later school years. When I was in the fourth grade a really wanted to be accepted by people around me. I would switch my friends a lot looking for people’s approval. For example, if I was friends with a girl on Tuesday but I heard someone say she was weird I would abandon the friendship in order to gain peer approval. Early friendships and positive relations with peer groups appear to protect children against later psychological
Children grow up and move into teenage lifestyles, involvement with their peers, and how they look in other peoples eyes start to matter. Their hormones kick in, and they experience rapid changes in their minds, and bodies. They also develop a mind of their own, questioning the adult standards and need for their parental guidance. By trying new values and testing ideas with peers there is less of a chance of being criticized. Even though peer pressure can have positive effects, the most part is the bad part.
Peer pressure is when we are influenced to do something we normally wouldn't do because we want to fit in with other people or be accepted by our peers (A peer is someone you look up to like a friend, someone in the community or even someone on TV).