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Abstract

This dissertation investigates the influence that friendships have on the social development of adolescents aged 12-16 years old. Chapter one introduces the subject and outlines adolescence a developmentally complex stage of life, met with many maturational and cognitive milestones, during the transition to adulthood. The social learning and development acquired during the course of adolescence is vast and extremely pivotal in equipping young people with socially acceptable and culturally adapted social skills and competency. Through the use of relevant literature and child development theories, the discussion formed in chapter 2 further contextualises adolescent friendships, their development, structure and association with gender as young people move into the secondary school system. This chapter also highlights a growing autonomy in young people in choosing their friendship groups and general decision making. A critical discussion within chapter three highlights the various influences that peers have over social understanding, behaviour, social skills, what young people learn from these and why young people are developmentally disposed to succumb to peer influence in the first place. The literature examined throughout chapter three explores common themes experienced from early adolescence to late adolescence including social hierarchy, close friendships, wider peer groups and risk-taking behaviours. Chapter four explores the relationship between real life friendships and virtual friendships as the young people of today grow up in an advanced technological world of smart phones and social media applications. This chapter makes comparison between the two, whilst highlighting both the positive and negative influences that social media platforms can have on exiting friendships and the social skills and understanding gained by its users. This literature review investigates three main aims in depth, supported by sound academic literature and theory which both bare relevance to the topic and most importantly of the developmental age stated within this dissertation. It concludes that the notion of friendships within adolescence is highly multifaceted and each friendship, including its experiences are subjective to the individual, alongside various ecological factors. It suggests that many adolescent friendships are based on homophily, being those with similar backgrounds and interests as themselves. Overall it is demonstrated that similarity is a key theme throughout the course of adolescent social relationships which evokes feelings of comfort and belonging for young people, thus making it a key factor behind peer influence. However, an increasing prevalence of autonomy and social media usage is discussed to question to what extent young people learn and are encouraged through the social relationships that they hold.

Course: Childhood and Youth Studies - BA (Hons) - C1989F

Date Deposited: 2021-02-03

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis13650.html