The Impact of Peer Relations in the Academic Process among Adolescents

Abstract

This article briefly discusses the effects of the role of peer and social interaction in adolescent academic achievement. The purpose of this study is an attempt to give a personal contribution in the examination of the role between two different types of relationships between peers; frequent interactions and mutual membership in the group; and the decrease or the increase of the learning outcomes in terms of academic performance. To accomplish this purpose, it is formulated the following research question: Is there any effect of peer influence on academic achievement in adolescents of ages 12-15 years old? The study is a review of existing literature on the positive and negative aspects of the influence of peers regarding academic performance. Based on the data, reports and observations, it is shown that there is a need to understand the trend of the impact, to face research on social motivation as well as to conceptualize the impact of peer relations in an appropriate way. Empirical results show that peers create networks which lead to overestimation of the group effects on the traditional model and this causes them to change the objectives in the academic achievements. Furthermore, it is observed that adolescents have an increased social motivation which is followed by a decrease of academic motivation; this consequence causes the demonstrations of the inability in academic areas in school. These results are understandable if the acceptance of the adolescent from the peer group is one of the measurement keys of positive and negative experiences at school. Future examinations could examine the motivational dynamics which will contribute to the academic development of sustainable assets and developing an academic identity by allowing in this way the adolescents to use the group in interest of academic success. This study serves not only to the family but to the school and society at the same time. If society and education understand the negative impact of peer group pressure, are more likely to prevent it and more prepared to help the adolescent to handle this fact.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n1s1p127