“Peer Group Influence in Relation to the Academic Performance"
Introduction
Man is a social being who derives satisfaction from belonging to a group, it creates a feeling of general well-being in individual. Students cluster together inside the campus this informal group is regarded as “peer groups”. Peer influence on behavior gradually becomes more dominant. Harris (1998, 2002) and Rowe (1994) maintained that peer groups have an even stronger influence than that of parents, although that extreme position has been refuted by other researchers (Berk, 2005).
According to Castrogiovanni (2002), a peer group is defined as a small group of similarly aged, fairly close friends, sharing the same activities. In general, peer groups or cliques have two to twelve members, with an average of five or six. Peer groups provide a sense of security and they help adolescents to build a sense of identity.
Hurlock (11975:180) the influence of a group is intensified by the person’s desire to be an accepted member of the peer group. To achieve this desire he tries to conform in everyday to the patterns approved by the group. When group members are attached to their groups, they are motivated to behave in accordance with the wishes of the group and in ways which would make them accepted, this motivation is attributes to peer group influence.
In school the peer group maybe a dominant factor to consider in academic achievement. Acceptance by the group depends on conformity. Most education takes place in group situations the group’s impacts and influence on its members is so strong that it takes the group as a whole to support the learning process.
A peer group is a learning group most education takes place in group situations the group impact and influence on its members is so strong that it pushes the group as a whole to support a learning process. In spite of this recognized impact of the group influence on learning, there seem to be very few studies and researches done to indicate how powerful a group influences an individual.
Peer group
Man is a social being who derives satisfaction from belonging to a group, it creates a feeling of general well-being in individual. Students cluster together inside the campus this informal group is regarded as “peer groups”. Peer influence on behavior gradually becomes more dominant. Harris (1998, 2002) and Rowe (1994) maintained that peer groups have an even stronger influence than that of parents, although that extreme position has been refuted by other researchers (Berk, 2005).
According to Castrogiovanni (2002), a peer group is defined as a small group of similarly aged, fairly close friends, sharing the same activities. In general, peer groups or cliques have two to twelve members, with an average of five or six. Peer groups provide a sense of security and they help adolescents to build a sense of identity.
Hurlock (11975:180) the influence of a group is intensified by the person’s desire to be an accepted member of the peer group. To achieve this desire he tries to conform in everyday to the patterns approved by the group. When group members are attached to their groups, they are motivated to behave in accordance with the wishes of the group and in ways which would make them accepted, this motivation is attributes to peer group influence.
In school the peer group maybe a dominant factor to consider in academic achievement. Acceptance by the group depends on conformity. Most education takes place in group situations the group’s impacts and influence on its members is so strong that it takes the group as a whole to support the learning process.
A peer group is a learning group most education takes place in group situations the group impact and influence on its members is so strong that it pushes the group as a whole to support a learning process. In spite of this recognized impact of the group influence on learning, there seem to be very few studies and researches done to indicate how powerful a group influences an individual.
Peer group