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PEER GROUP INFLUENCE ON THE ADOLESCENT AND THEIR PERFORMANCE IN SCHOOLS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Adolescence is a time of transformation in many areas of an individual’s life. In the midst of these rapid physical, emotional, and social changes, youth begin to question adult standards and the need for parental guidance. (Nicole, 2004 in Castrogiovanni, 2002). It is also a time for individuals to make important decisions about their commitment to academics, family, and perhaps religion. Young adults begin to ask questions such as, “Is school important to me?” and “How do I want to spend my time?” The choices that adolescents make regarding their motivation, engagement, and achievement in school (and in life) and the satisfaction they obtain from their choices depend, in part, on the context in which they make such choices (Ryan, 2000 as cited in Castrogiovanni, 2002).

Teachers, parents, and peers all provide adolescents/students with suggestions and feedback about what they should think and how they should behave in social situations. These models can be a source of motivation or a lack thereof. Modelling refers to individual changes in cognition, behaviour, or effects that result from the observation of others (Ryan, 2000 in Castrogiovanni, 2002). Observing others perform a particular behaviour or voice a certain opinion can introduce an individual to new behaviours and viewpoints that may be different from his or her own. Observation also enlightens an individual on the consequences of such behaviour and opinions. Depending on these consequences, observation of a model can strengthen or weaken the likelihood the observer will engage in such behaviour or adopt such beliefs in the future.

Peer group effect/influence is an important component in determination of student outcomes. A typical student learns from discussions with his peers and can possibly be affected by their personality and attitude towards learning. Peer students can also be motivated by working together. It is well established that the quality of peers could affect a wide range of student outcomes from school performance to health conditions or even juvenile criminal behaviour. Economists have investigated in the peer effects for a variety of peers include proximity based peers such as schoolmates.

(Evans et al., 1992, Sacerdote, 2001, Hoel et al., 2005), classmates (Ammermueller and Pischke, 2009), or linkage based peer, such as friendship (Cooley 2009, Bramoulle et al., 2009). Children’s peer relationships in the early grades have consequences for children’s short-term and long-term school adjustment, including academic achievement (Bierman, 2004; Ladd, 1990). The most frequently studied aspects of peer relations are peer acceptance/rejection and friendships. Low peer acceptance (or high peer rejection) forecasts school avoidance and disaffected patterns of engagement from kindergarten through the middle grades (Buhs & Ladd, 2001; Furrer & Skinner, 2003; Ladd, Birch, & Buhs, 1999; Wentzel, 1998).

Longitudinal studies with elementary students have clarified processes responsible for the impact of peer acceptance on achievement, highlighting the mediating roles of both classroom participation (Buhs, Ladd, & Herald, 2006) and self-perceived academic competence (Flook, Repetti, & Ullman, 2005). With respect to the role of friends on achievement, having a close friend may promote academic achievement due to the buffering effect of friendships on children’s feelings of loneliness, which predicts lower academic motivation and achievement (Kochenderfer & Ladd, 1996).

Peer group is an important influence throughout one’s life but they are more critical during the developmental years of childhood and adolescence. Adolescents always emulate their mates in whatever form of behaviour they exhibit, particularly that which interest them thus, since socialization only refer to changes in behaviour, attitudes having their origin in interaction with other persons and those which occur through integration, a child learn more through interaction with peers. (Bierman, 2004; Ladd, 1990).

Socialization being a life-long process cannot be limited to the family members alone. As a child grows older and more matured, it become more necessary for the external bodies to be involved in his/her life. The family is not expected to provide all the education required by the growing child. The school which is an established academic institution in which the behaviour of an individual is sharpened to get him/her equipped for occupational socialization. In the school system, the child gets into the social group of “like minds” and interest. As a result of the various attitudes, skills, knowledge is acquired through role-play. Peer group as an agent of socialization is the most important socializing is the most important socializing agent for the developing child. Peer group is the pivot of social change and during interaction peers; the child’s life is transformed from the helpless child into a mature adult. (Bierman, 2004; Ladd, 1990).    

According to Peter and Pellegrini, (2001) each peer group has its code of conduct which does not always conform to adult standards. The important thing is that each child takes his/her membership of the peer very serious and attempts to do anything to ensure he/she is accepted and recognized. Lack of acceptance by t he peer disturbs the child especially at adolescent age. Some children have been known to do badly in school not because they lack the academic ability to do well but because they are disturbed by the fact they are not accepted by their peer group. What makes learning comparative is the fact that the child has equal status with the other children. There is an atmosphere of freedom in which each child learns the way of the world from others. The peer group thus becomes more and more important to the child as he advances in age. Other ways in which the peer group can help the child include, teaching the culture of the society at large, making possible social mobility, providing opportunity for the child to play many social roles such as that of a leader, a follower, teacher or student. The peer group also help the child to win his/her independence easily from domination and set before him a goal which is more easily attainable than the expectation of adults. This in itself provides motivation for learning and is mainly responsible for the fact that all children at one stage or the other regard their membership of peer group as very important.   

When the family is not supportive for instance, if the parents work extra jobs and are largely unavailable, their children may turn to their peer for emotional support. This also occur when the conflict between parents and children during adolescence or at any stage during a child’s development becomes so great that the child feels pushed away and seeks company elsewhere. Most children and adolescents in this position do not discriminate about the kind of group they join. They will often turn to a group simply because the group accepts them even if the group is involved in negative tendency. (Peter and Pellegrini, 2001). The need for affection or closeness is often greater than the need to do the right thing. For some adolescents who feel isolated and abandoned by members of their family, being part of a peer group provides such individuals with acceptance and security not available at home. In Nigerian society today, the influence of peer groups cannot be over emphasized in a child’s life, especially child education. Peer group has in one way or the other influenced the life of children both academically, socially, morally, psychologically and otherwise. Socialization such as family, religion, mass media, and school among others help in modifying the behavior of the child.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Research has shown that most children who have positive peer relationship (i.e. have friends and/or are liked by classmates) also do well academically (Cohen, 2004; Ladd, Birch & Buhs, 1999; Ladd, Kochenderfer, and Coleman, 1996; Ladd & Price, 1987; Wentzel & Caldwell, 1997); and that children who are rejected by peers early on tend to encounter more academic difficulties in later years (Ladd, 1990; Wentzel and Caldwell, 1997). However, it remains unclear if children perform better academically during the years they have more positive peer group experiences.

Children socialize with the people with which they associate. Through interaction over many years, acceptable social customs are taught and fostered. Other children as well as adults can have a great impact on a broad range of issues in the child’s life including achievement in schools. The research is geared towards having a proper understanding of the way social interaction or peer group influence affect academic achievement and it is very important for parents, educators, and policy makers. The immediate environment such as peer, family, school, religion and other factors can encourage or discourage student’s academic performance.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to determine peer group influence on adolescent & their performance in schools. Specific objectives include;

1. To examine the extent of peer group influence on adolescent behavior and academic performance in schools.

2. To identify the specific mechanisms through which peer groups impact adolescent academic performance.

3. To explore potential strategies for leveraging positive peer group dynamics to enhance academic outcomes among adolescents.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the nature and extent of peer group influence on adolescent behavior and academic performance in school settings?

2. How do peer group dynamics, such as peer acceptance, reciprocated friendships, and group membership, contribute to adolescent academic performance?

3. What interventions or strategies can be implemented to harness the positive influence of peer groups and mitigate negative peer influences on adolescent academic performance?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

H₁: Adolescents who are members of positive peer groups characterized by academic motivation and support will demonstrate higher levels of academic performance compared to those who are members of negative peer groups.

H₂: Reciprocated friendships and peer acceptance within peer groups will positively correlate with adolescent academic performance, indicating that positive peer relationships facilitate better academic outcomes.

H₃: Interventions aimed at fostering positive peer group dynamics, such as peer tutoring programs or collaborative learning initiatives, will lead to improvements in adolescent academic performance by harnessing the beneficial effects of peer influence.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study will be helpful in the field of education. It is important for students, parents, educators and policy makers in understanding the way social interactions affect academic achievement. In particular academic achievement and the often corresponding level of the educational attainment tend to predict the average earnings an individual may secure over a lifetime. For this reason, isolating the peer effects on academic achievement will make a significant contribution to education reform. This study will also provide an insight into the impact of peer group on academic performance of adolescents.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study is based on the influence of Peer group on the academic performance of Secondary School Students in Shiroro Local Government Area. The research work will be limited to the analysis based on the questionnaire administered, and the relevant text (literature). Another limitation of the study is: inability of the researcher to cover the entire population of the study, money, time and distance.

1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study was conducted in Shiroro LGA, Niger State, it includes potential sampling bias due to the focus on a specific geographic area, which may limit the generalizability of findings to other regions. Additionally, the study's reliance on self-reported data from adolescents may introduce response bias and inaccuracies. Limited access to resources and logistical constraints might have affected the comprehensiveness of data collection and analysis. Furthermore, the study may not have accounted for all relevant variables influencing peer group influence and academic performance, potentially overlooking important factors. Lastly, the dynamic nature of adolescent peer relationships and academic performance could pose challenges in capturing longitudinal changes effectively.

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. Peer Group: A social group consisting of individuals who are similar in age, status, or interests and who interact with and influence one another within a particular context, such as school or community settings.

2. Adolescent: A person in the transitional stage of physical and psychological development between childhood and adulthood, typically characterized by rapid physical growth, cognitive changes, and exploration of identity and independence.

3. Performance: The extent to which an individual demonstrates competence or achieves specified objectives in a particular area, such as academic achievement, social interaction, or behavioral outcomes.

4. Schools: Formal institutions designed for the purpose of education, typically providing structured learning environments, curricula, and instructional support to students.

5. Academic Achievement: The level of success or proficiency attained by an individual in academic pursuits, including performance in subjects such as mathematics, language arts, sciences, and social studies, often measured through grades, standardized test scores, and other academic assessments.

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