4. Peers People of approximately the same age and position within a social group Equally important to children and adolescents’ development Functions of peers  Offer emotional support  Offer opportunities to practice social skills  Contribute to a sense of identity  Help each other make sense of their lives Help process confusing or troubling events Teresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod Child Development and Education, third edition Copyright ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

5. Peers Peer Acceptance  Can have a positive impact on achievement Well-favored children tend to achieve more academically, socially, and exhibit fewer behavior problems Teresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod Child Development and Education, third edition Copyright ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

6. Peers Peer Acceptance  Popular children Those seen in a positive light by their peers Usually regarded as kind and trustworthy May or may not have high profiles (football player, etc)  Rejected children Identified as unfavorable partners by peers May be overly aggressive or appear immature, annoying, or strange to peers  Neglected children Those rarely evoking intense feelings of like or dislike by peers Tend to be quiet and keep to themselves May be satisfied with a small circle of friends  Controversial children Those that are strongly liked by some and strongly disliked by others  Average children Liked by some, disliked by others Evoke less intense feelings in others Teresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod Child Development and Education, third edition Copyright ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.

7. Peers Friendships  Vary among individual in length and intensity  Four common qualities Voluntary Powered by shared routines Reciprocal in nature Serve as a setting of mutual support Teresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod Child Development and Education, third edition Copyright ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved

8. Peers Characteristics of Friendships at Different Ages  The nature of friendships changes throughout the developmental stages Infancy brings imitation Early childhood is characterized by recreation and pretend play Middle childhood brings about a developing sense of loyalty and stability Early adolescence is characterized by increased self- disclosure and bouts of possessiveness Late adolescence brings about increased selectivity and increased emotional dependence Copyright ©2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved Teresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod Child Development and Education, third edition