SUSCEPTIBILITY OF PEER PRESSURE IN RELATION TO THE ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE OF THE STUDENTS
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. It is also a time for
individuals to make important decisions about their commitment to academics, family,
and perhaps religion. The choices that adolescents make regarding their motivation,
engagement, achievement in school, in life and the satisfaction they obtain from their
choices depend, in part, on the context in which they make such choices (Ryan, 2000).
Teachers, parents, and peers all provide adolescents 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. Modeling refers to individual
changes in cognition, behavior, or effects that result from the observation of others.
Understanding the nature, magnitude, significance and implication of peer group
influence in education, is very crucial and important for the “productivity” of educational
processes, and the organizational design of school systems. Peer group is an important
influence throughout one’s life but they are more critical during the developmental years
of childhood and adolescence. The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary defined peer
group as a group of people of same age or social status. The peer group is the first
social group outside the home in which the child attempts to gain acceptance and
recognition. Adolescents always emulate their mates in whatever form of behavior they
exhibit, particularly that which interest them thus, since socialization only refers to
changes in behavior, attitudes having their origin in interaction with other persons and
those which occur through interaction, a child learn more through interaction with peers.
The school which is an established academic institution in which the behavior of an
individual is sharpened to get him/her equipped for occupation 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 agent for the
adolescent child.
This is an important issue to be studied because if society and education
related professionals understand the issue surrounding negative peer influence, they
are more likely to prevent it and be more adequately prepared to help a teenager facing
negative aspects of peer pressure. The influence of the peer educational climate is
defined by the amount and the style of help that children receive from the peer group.
This is determined by elements of the peer context, like the dynamic of communication
and effective relationships, attitude towards value, expectation (Temitope and Christy,
2015).
Conceptual Framework
This study is guided by the following conceptual framework, which is use to
explain the interrelationship between variables. A conceptual framework is a scheme of
variables a researcher operationalizes in order to achieve the set objectives Oso &
Onen (2002). Mugenda (1999) argued that independent variable attempts to imdicate
the total influence in the study. As shown in the figure.
Independent Variable
Dependent Variable
Peer Group Prior Achievement
-Grades
Peer Group Composition
-Money Spent
Student’s Academic
Performance
-Family Background
Peer Group Learning Environment
-No. of times counseled
-No. of exams taken
It is hypothesized that the independent variable with its components peer group prior
achievements, peer group composition and peer group teaching environment directly
influenced the dependent variable which is the student’s academic performance. The
interpretation of the schematic diagram above is that there is a relationship between the
independent variable
indicators, grades, subject choice, family background, pocket
money spent and teacher/student relationship and dependent variable student’s
academic performance
Hypothesis
H01: There is significant relationship between peer pressure and the academic
performance of student.
HO2: Peer pressure does not affect the academic performance of students.
Statement of the Problem
The aim of this study is to describe the relation of peer pressure to the academic
performance of the students. We will be able recognize the factors of peer pressure
affecting the students academic performance.
This study endeavored to seek answers to the following question:
1. Does peer group influence have great effect on the academic performance of
students?
2. What are the underlying factors of peer pressure affecting the student’s
academic performance?
3. How does peer influence affect a student’s motivation and engagement at
school?
4. What are the positive and negative effects of peer pressure on students
academic performances.
5. Is there any significant relationship between per pressure and the academic
performance of students?