Peer Influence

Introduction

Background of the Study

According to Castrogiovanni (2002), a peer group is defined as a small group of similarly age, fairly close friends, and sharing the same activities. The peer group is the first social group outside the home where a child gains acceptance and recognition. The broad literature notes that a child's peer group influences social and academic development and that these influences begin at the very start of his education. Children are socialized by the people whom they associate. Socialization cannot be limited to the family members and relatives alone. As a child grows older and more matured, it became more necessary to be involved with other people in the societies. He will look for someone with the same behavior or attitudes like him. People find comfort and happiness when they’re with their friends that they can’t have from their family. Peer group is an agent of socialization for a developing child. Peer group is the cause of social change and the child’s life is transformed from the helpless child into a mature adult.    

Researchers have been discussing the link between social interactions among peers in school and academic outcomes for over 40 years. Influences and motivations for all kinds of children's behavior, including study habits and personal academic development, come not only from their peers, but also from their parents, teachers, and others with whom they come into close contact. Because of the sheer amount of time the typical child spends each day with his or her friends, the peer influence on a child can be substantial.

Friends may bring positive or negative effects to a person especially in studies. Peer influences have a relation why students got high and low grades in school. Several studies confirmed research findings that the values of the peer group with whom a student spends the most time are a stronger factor in the student's level of academic success than the values, and attitudes provided by the family. Students, who spent time with an academically oriented peer group, got better grades while students who spent time with peers whose orientation was not toward academic excellence, performed less. Asian families were not especially involved in their children's education but the students were high academic achievers because they tend to bond together in academic study groups that provided both an academic and a social focus. In a survey conducted by the University of the Philippines in 1994, 60% or 5.3 million Filipino youths are said to be drinking alcoholic beverages. About 4.2 million of them are males and 1.1 million are females. Teenagers are also addicted to social media and online games. They also going out with their friends and as a result, they don’t have time to study and do homework..

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