Friends and Peers

Question 1

Define friends

Answer 1

People with whom one has a bond of mutual affection

Question 2

Define peers

Answer 2

A group of people who are around the same age

Question 3

Define the social group of friendships

Answer 3

• smallest size
• friends (reciprocal)
• intimacy, support, understanding

Question 4

Define the social group of crowds

Answer 4

• largest size
• mostly peers
• identity formation (e.g., populars, athletes, emo kids, etc.)
• main purpose: to help adolescents form identities

Question 5

Define the social group of cliques

Answer 5

• mid-sized (3-12 kids)
• groups of friends
• form because of shared activities, gender, status, religion, etc
• often have “rules” to avoid being kicked out
• have hierarchy
• not inherently negative

Question 6

Describe the quantity family-friends shift in adolescence

Answer 6

• time spent with family decreases

- time spent with friends increases

Question 7

Describe the quality family-friends shift in adolescence

Answer 7

Young children: describe friends in concrete terms (e.g., available: neighbours, classmates)
Teenagers: describe friends in more abstract terms (e.g., trust, loyalty, advice)

Question 8

Define intimacy

Answer 8

Degree to which two people share personal knowledge, thoughts and feelings

Question 9

Describe the gender differences in friendships in adolescence.

Answer 9

Girls: spend more time talking to friends
Boys: emphasize shared activity as basis for friendship

Question 10

Why is there a divide in types of friendships between genders?

Answer 10

• girls are encouraged to express feelings openly

- boys are ridiculed for self-disclosure

Question 11

What are the benefits of supportive friendships?

Answer 11

• increased self-esteem
• lower depressive symptom
• improved academic performance
• improved emotional and behavioural adjustment

Question 12

Define the informational friend

Answer 12

Gives advice and guidance in solving problems

e.g., relationship advice, advice with parents and friends

Question 13

Define the instrumental friend

Answer 13

Offers tangible help

e.g., help with homework, chores, lending money, sharing lunch

Question 14

Define the companionship friend

Answer 14

Someone to do social activities with

e.g., go to parties, eat lunch together

Question 15

Define the esteem friend

Answer 15

Supports success and consoles during failures

e.g., consoling after a break up, congratulating after doing well on a test

Question 16

What is associated with lack of/loss of friendships?

Answer 16

• academic difficulties
• anger
• aggression
• depression
• loneliness

Question 17

Define selective association.

Answer 17

People tend to choose friends who are similar to themselves

• demographic
• preferences
• attitudes

Question 18

What are the 5 ways friends can influence you?

Answer 18

1) quiet disapproval
2) overt influence
3) reinforce the behaviours
they want
4) modelling behaviours
5) presence

Question 19

Define sociometry

Answer 19

A method of assessing an individuals’s popularity based on student ratings of social status
- extent to which individuals are liked or disliked

Question 20

Describe a popular adolescent according to sociometry.

Answer 20

• well-liked/well known for good reasons
• lots of positive nominations
• few negative nominations
• intelligent
• attractive
• good social skills

Question 21

Describe a rejected adolescent according to sociometry.

Answer 21

• many negative nominations

- well known for bad reasons (e.g., bother others, ignore others’ needs)

Question 22

Describe a neglected adolescent according to sociometry.

Answer 22

• few nominations
• not noticed by others
• difficulty making friends

Question 23

Describe a controversial adolescent according to sociometry.

Answer 23

• high aggression AND high social skills
• mixed response from peers (some high, some low)
• at risk for risky behaviours but less lonely

Question 24

What is social exclusion associated with?

Answer 24

• internalizing problems
• externalizing problems
• social difficulties

Question 25

What is social withdrawal?

Answer 25

Removing oneself from social interactions

- associated with negative adjustment outcomes

Question 26

Define loneliness

Answer 26

Subjective perception that one’s social relations are deficient (in quality or quantity)
- peaks in adolescence

Question 27

What psychopathology is associated with increased time alone?

Answer 27

• social anxiety disorder
• phobias
• depression
• social anhedonia
• schizophrenia
• avoidant personality disorder

Question 28

Describe alone time vs. time alone

Answer 28

Time alone: being alone
Alone time: choosing to be alone
- self inflicted vs. imposed

Question 29

What are the postitive aspects of alone time?

Answer 29

• stress reduction
• productivity
• freedom
• self-exploration
• identity formation
• creativity

Question 30

What is the solitude paradox?

Answer 30

too much time alone is not good and too little time alone is not good

Question 31

What is the “right amount” of time alone?

Answer 31

• differs based on preference, shyness, social anxiety
• engaged time vs. disengaged
• if you are physically alone or still communicating via technology
• not all social interactions are positive
• not all alone time is equal