Psychology 1230: Psychology
of Adolescence
Don Hartmann
Fall 2005
Lecture 18: Peers I
1
WEB Discussion Topic #27
#27. How peers can help. Psyched III.
(Summary/Evaluation due on Monday,
October 21st). Peers can have a variety of
impacts on us for good or ill. Relate a peer
event that profoundly affected you, and
indicate the nature of the impact (e.g., on
your sense of self; on your notion of what is
acceptable), and why it had this impact. Also
comment on another discussant’s
commentary.
2
WEB Discussion Process
Group
Whippets
4♀+1♂
GypsyMafia
JusticeLeague
PithHelmets
MAJACS
Psyched
#3 due
#4 due
10/27 (10/26)
11/14
10/28 (10/28)
11/18
10/24**
11/15
11/09
10/25 (10/25)
11/11
11/21
---------Note: Anyone can contribute to any WEB discussion; group members are
responsible to summarizing the discussion. The last day to contribute to any
discussion is 3 days before the due date. Dates in parenthesis indicate the
date handed in. Bolded dates indicate that material handed in was
incomplete; more is required.
**Where is the summary??
3
Handout Summary
Handout
Date




WEB
Date
37. Study Guide #9
37. Lect. #15b: Moral Devel (Kohlberg)
38. Lect. #16: Attachment
39. Quiz 2 from Spring ’05
10/26
10/27
10/28
10/31
40. Lect. #17: Autonomy
41. Handout: Supplemental Project #2
42. Handout: Supplemental Project #3
43. Lect. #17b: Family Conflict
44. Study Guide #10
45. Lect. #18: Peers
11/07
11/04
11/07
11/08
11/08
11/10
----





4
Quiz 2, Multiple Choice
Maximum=43; Range: 20-42 (3 students
scored 42); 100%=42; Mdn.=34.5
Score
f
4035-39
30-34
25-29
20-24
7
21
19
6
3
5
Method of Grading Essays
Don graded all of question #1 and about 25% of questions #2
through #4
Don checked all papers for which the grades for the two questions
differed by 3 or more points (approximately 20 papers).
Approximately 1/3 of question grades I checked were changed
between -1 and +1.5 points. If your question grade was
modified (by the note on your paper of a value with my initials)
it was slightly more likely to be reduced.
The scores on question 1 ranged from 1-10, question 2 from 0-11,
question 3 from 2-11, and question 4 from 1-11.
----Note: about 10% of test takers experienced a penalty between -.5
and -1 for failure to follow instructions—e.g., put names on front
of essay test rather than back, put answers on wrong pile.
6
Quiz 2, Essay
Maximum: 20+bonus points; Range: 2-22;
100%=20 (4 students had a score of 20);
Mdn.≈16
Score
f
206
15-19
25
10-14
20
5-9
4
0-4
1
7
Quiz 2, Total
Max.=63+bonus; Range: 23-62; 100%=58; Mdn.=49
Score
f
Grade
6055-59
50-54
45-49
40-44
35-39
<35
3
9
15
15
5
7
2
A+
A to A+
B to A
C+ to B
D+ to C
D- to D+
E
8
Supplementary References
Bagwell, C. L. , Newcomb, A. F. , Bukowski, W. M. , (1998) .
Preadolescent friendship and peer rejection as predictors
of adult adjustment. Child Development, 69 (2), 140 - 153.
Parker, J. G., & Asher, S. R. (1987). Peer relations and later
personal adjustment: Are low-accepted children at risk?
Psychological Bulletin, 102, 357-389.
Rubin, K. H., Bukowski, W., & Parker, J. G. (1998). Peer
interactions, relationships, and groups. In W. Damon
(Series Ed.) N. Eisenberg (Vol. Ed.), Handbook of child
psychology, Vol. 3: Social, emotional, and personality
development (5th ed., pp. 619-700). New York: Wiley.
9
Very Early Heterosexual Dating
Relationship Nipped in Bud
10
Overview of Peer
Relations I Lecture

Lecture





Who Are Peers?
Why Study Peers?
 Animal & Human longitudinal studies
 Contributions of Peer Relationships
Types of Peer Relationships
Coordinates with Text, pp. 351-53, 36162, 365-66.
Next: Lect. #19: Peers II (Popularity &
Friendship)
11
Peers: Who are they?


In age-graded societies, children
within a year of age of one another; of
a similar level of behavioral
complexity
However, wider age variation
true of neighborhood
social groups
12
Parental vs. Peer
Relationships




Parents
Hierarchical
Nurturance
Dependency
Peers
Equalitarian
Competition
Reciprocity
13
The Declining Influence of
Parents?
14
What do children do with their
peers? High Tech Method

Hi tech
(Csikszentmihalyi &
Larsen): Experience
time sampling
15
What do children do with their
peers? Low Tech Method

Diaries (Zarbatany et al. &
Hartmann et al.)
•10-14%: Hanging out, Team sports, &
Classroom activities
•5-9%: Recreational activities, individual
sports, study/rehearsal, & eating
16
Who Cares?

Increasing evidence that
peers are critical to our
eventual adult functioning—and the
influence can be either good or bad


Animal studies
Longitudinal studies of children who have faulty
peer relations, particularly those who are either
aggressive or rejected. The review by Parker &
Asher (1987 Psychological Bulletin review),
indicates that these children are at risk for later
problems.
17
Harlow’s work


Raised groups of rhesus
monkeys with their mothers and
denied them the opportunity to play with
peers.
Detrimental effects: abnormal
behavior - aggressive sexual behavior,
withdrawn; never acquire appropriate social
behavior; rarely engage in social play
18
The Sexual Behaviors of PeerIsolated Monkeys
When the [isolate] females were smaller than the sophisticated
[normally reared] males, the girls would back away and sit
down facing the males [an inadequate attempt at sexual
posturing], looking appealingly at these would-be consorts.
Their hearts were in the right place, but nothing else was.
When the females were larger than the males, we can only
hope that they misunderstood the males' intentions, for after a
brief period of courtship, they would attack and maul the
ill-fated male. Females show no respect for a male they can
dominate. [Isolate] males were equally unsatisfactory. They
approached the [normal] females with a blind...misdirected
enthusiasm. Frequently, the males would grasp the females
by the side of the body and thrust laterally....working at cross
purposes with reality. Even the most persistent attempts by
these females to set the boys straight came to naught. Finally,
these females either stared at the males with complete
contempt or attacked them in utter frustration [Harlow, 1962, p.
5]
19
Longitudinal Studies of Children
with Faulty Peer Relations


Particularly at risk are those who are either
aggressive or rejected (extensive review by
Parker & Asher, 1987 Psychological Bulletin
review)
Alternative interpretations:



"NECESSITY-NOT-LUXURY" view of peer interaction.
Good peer relations are necessary: i.e., friendships,
belonging to a crowd, "acceptance“
If A = Poor peer relations, and B = Psychopathology,
then
A
B
20
Alternative Interpretation of
Longitudinal Studies


INCIDENTAL MODEL--Model assumes that early
forms of disorders (e.g., personality disorders) that will
emerge fully in adulthood have a negative
effect/influence on interpersonal relationships in
childhood; i.e., early forms of disorder are responsible
for both early disturbance in peer group adjustment &
ultimate maladaptive outcomes.
If A = Poor peer relations, and B = Psychopathology,
then
B (early)
B (late)
A
21
What do Peer Relations do for
US?
Asher’s (e.g., 1978) 5 reasons:
 Emotional security



Exploration
Coping
Establish Norms (e.g., male group that
require so many “scores” to become
member)

Skill acquisition (Instruction—e.g., peer
tutors)
o
o
Social skills
Athletic skills
22
More on What they do for Us

Socialization Experiences


Sex roles (Maccoby)
Identity formation
Peers facilitate Life Adjustment.
23
Types of Peer Relations (nonexhaustive)







Sociometric Status (SMS) or popularity
groups
Activity groups
Chumships
Friendships
Cliques
Crowds
Romantic relationships (dyads)
24
What Kind of Peer
Relationship was that Again?
25
DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGES
IN PEER RELATIONS



Elementary school: Interactions become
increasingly sophisticated. Some
identification with groups, such a Brownies
and Cubs (6-10).
Preadolescence (8.5-10): Chumships
(Sullivan)
Early Adolescence: Same-sex cliques
(Dunphy)
26
MORE DEVELOPMENTAL
CHANGES IN PEER RELATIONS


Mid Adolescence: Heterosexual cliques &
crowds (Brown)
Old Adolescence: Dating dyads
27
Summary of Peer I Lecture


Who Are Peers?
Why Study Peers?






Animal & Human longitudinal studies
Contributions of Peer Relationships
Types of Peer Relationships
Development Changes
Next Time: Lect. #19: Peers II
(Popularity & Friendship)
Go in Peace
28