by : Anushka
Social learning is fundamental to human development, helping individuals adapt to changing circumstances and cooperate in groups. During the formative years of adolescence, the social environment shapes people's socio-cognitive skills needed in adulthood.
A belief formation task further revealed that younger adolescents tend to assimilate social information, while older adolescents prioritize personal views.
The guiding principles borrowed from those observations that informed the development of SIT were that: (1) attitude is a societal product, regulated by social conventions, values, norms, and rules, as well as the reflection of personal predisposition, (2) social influence has a differential impact on people’s acceptance of the influence, and (3) the acceptance of the influence depends on power, the characteristics of an influencing persona/group, and the message that they communicate
There are three modes of social influence acceptance, namely compliance, identification, and internalization.
Kelman (1974) defined social influence as a behaviour change within the social settings induced by one person or a group of people.
The young teens will adopt the behaviors that bring the greatest rewards, advantages or significant benefits and social success, that facilitate their integration into the group of friends, and that make them experience feelings of effectiveness and competence.
To minimize resistance to social influence, the information about induced behaviour should convince an individual that the adoption of induced behaviour, although challenging an existing system of beliefs and the induced behaviour becomes dominant when demands in social roles are clearly delineated. The social roles become apparent if individuals affiliate themselves with a particular social category attitude, is conducive to the achievement of an individual’s goals
SOCIAL MEDIA
POSITIVE. Adolescents also use social media for interest-driven learning and to strengthen friendships. Online peer communication can facilitate self-disclosure and a sense of belonging, which support identity development. Teens report that social media makes them feel closer to friends (78%), more informed (49%), and connected to family (42%).
NEGATIVE: Fewer teens report feeling pressure to always show the best versions of themselves (15%), overloaded with information (10%), teens worry about how others judge their self-expressions.
Negative emotions arise related to immediate concerns about peer judgments and lack of acceptance (particularly when sharing is broadcasted through accounts with large peer audiences) and, when content endures, long-term concerns about unknown future consequences.
PEER
POSITIVE. a positive network of friends among whom they feel appreciated; participation in extracurricular activities, sports, and cultural activities, among others. Involvement in various extracurricular activities actually leads to a marked increase in the sense of school. When a sense of truly fitting in at school is present, it serves to stimulate improved academic performance as well as to moderate the adoption of risk behaviors. Positive influence leads to better performance, reduces absenteeism, enhanced self-worth.
NEGATIVE. On other hand, it does not go so far as to stifle negative influences that cause major problem through adolescent years, nor does it address the resultant depressive reactions that can persist into adulthood. Running in the wrong crowd can lead to development of poor habits like substance abuse, addictions and huge problems.
ADULTS
POSITIVE. The young teens thereby sense and appreciate the fact that the adults demonstrate a real caring attitude toward them. In return, such openness predisposes the teens towards accepting and nourishing relationships that may well become rooted in a foundation of trust, adolescents appreciate it when adults acknowledge their potential, and when they work with them to find new avenues to explore, talents to develop, and skills to acquire.
NEGATIVE. If teens are neglected, have abusive relationship with adult figure, relationship lack basic respect and privacy. They are most likely to develop anxiety, distrust, lack of stability difficulty in expression and trouble holding up relationships and communication.
OVERALL
Social influence among adolescents is often associated with increased risk taking and negative outcomes (e.g. crime, alcohol abuse, taking drugs and having unprotected sex}’ In the long term, running with the wrong crowd can consequently set people on negative developmental trajectories, with grave implications for health, education, social and economic success, and general well-being.
On the contrary, social influence has the ability to enhance behaviour of adolescence, influence mindset and perception, gain self and societal awareness, acceptance towards societal norms and values. Positive developmental trajectories include trust, enhanced communication etc.
REFERENCES:
● Emily Weinstein, Harvard Graduate School of Education, USA,2018,Projects at Harvard, https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/gse-digitaldilemmas/files/2018-new_media_society-seesaw .pdf
● Eva H. Telzer, Jorien van Hoorn, Christina R. Rogers, Kathy T., Social Influence on Positive Youth Development: A Developmental Neuroscience Perspective,
● Marie Drolet1 & Isabelle Arcand, School of Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Canada Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa, , Positive Development, Sense of Belonging, and Support of Peers among Early Adolescents: Perspectives of Different Actors
Comments