Identity development and peer group participation

Rejecting ingroup loyalty for the truth: Children's and adolescents' evaluations of deviant peers within a misinformation intergroup context

Typically, children and adolescents dislike peers who deviate from their peer group's norm, preferring normative peers who are loyal to the peer ingroup. Yet children and adolescents also consider whether the behavior displayed by a deviant peer aligns with generic societally valued norms when evaluating peers within intergroup contexts. In an age where misinformation is rampant online, seeking the truth exemplifies a generic norm that is widely valued but not always upheld given that individuals often show loyalty to the ingroup. The current research explored the conflict between ingroup loyalty and seeking the truth. In this study, participants (N = 266; 8-15 years old) read about their school participating in an inter-school competition where their ingroup peer either accidentally or deliberately shared misinformation about their outgroup competitor. Participants with a peer group norm of ingroup loyalty positively morally evaluated a norm deviant seeking the truth, whereas those with a peer group norm of seeking the truth negatively morally evaluated a norm deviant showing ingroup loyalty. Participants also took into account the intentions of the misinformer in their evaluations of a deviant who was either loyal or questioning toward the misinformer. Overall, this study suggests that the norm of truth-seeking is welcomed and regarded as an important value to uphold both generically and at a peer group level, even when it violates the norm of ingroup loyalty. This research provides a novel contribution to understanding how factors like norms and intentionality interact with children's and adolescents' navigation of information in an age of misinformation.

The Lived Experience of Siblings of Children With Cancer Who Attended a Peer Support Camp in the United States

Childhood cancer has a profound and negative impact on siblings, yet there are limited studies exploring lived experiences from their perspective. This qualitative study examined the perceptions and experiences of siblings of children with cancer who attended a peer support camp. Semi-structured interviews were conducted three to six weeks after the weeklong peer support camp with a stratified random sample of 10 siblings (six non-bereaved and four bereaved) ages 8 to 16 years. The qualitative data were analyzed using conventional content analysis and an inductive data-driven approach. Four themes emerged: social connection (subthemes: support/feeling of belonging, mentorship, and expressing feelings), personal growth, identity, and freedom to have fun and relax. These findings add to the scant body of research by providing enhanced understanding of the siblings' experiences and new insights into their perceptions of meaning and outcomes associated with participation in a peer support camp. These findings have implications for peer support camp programs and the well-being of siblings of children with cancer.

The Role of Online Social Identity in the Relationship Between Alcohol-Related Content on Social Networking Sites and Adolescent Alcohol Use

Social networking sites (SNSs) are social platforms that facilitate communication. For adolescents, peers play a crucial role in constructing the self online through displays of group norms on SNSs. The current study investigated the role of online social identity (OSI) in the relationship between adolescent exposure to alcohol-related content posted by peers on SNSs and alcohol use. In a sample (N = 929) of Australian adolescents (Age M = 17.25, SD = 0.31) higher levels of exposure to alcohol-related content on SNSs was associated with higher levels of alcohol use. Importantly, the association was stronger when the participants reported higher OSI particularly when also reporting low or moderate amount of time spent on SNS. The findings can be explained by social identity literature that demonstrates individuals align their behaviors with other members of their social group to demonstrate, enact, and maintain social identity. The results of this study reflect the importance of considering the construction of the “self” through online and offline constructs.

Voluntary Service, Peer Group Orientation, and Civic Engagement

Responses from students at two suburban Catholic high schools were analyzed to identify associations among peer group orientation, voluntary service, and civic engagement measures.Crowd types were constructed through cluster analysis of reputational group activities.Types were called School, Disengaged, All-Around, Fun, and Average.School crowd members were likely to volunteer for social service activities and unlikely not to volunteer; Fun crowd members showed the opposite tendency.All-Around crowd members were likely to choose functionary service compared with other crowds.Crowd membership was also differentiated on civic engagement measures.School crowd members were likely to participate in school clubs versus Fun members.School, All-Around, and Average crowd members had high scores on future service intentions, compared with Fun and Disengaged crowd members.School and Average crowd members scored high on intentions for political activities.These results support our theory of social-historical identity development.

Adolescent-Friendly Remedies for the Challenges of Focus Group Research

Focus groups are an increasingly popular method of qualitative research; however, as with any research method, limitations emerge that were not anticipated. This article reviewed the limitations reported in 21 research studies, published between 2002 and 2012, to identify the common concerns of researchers in focus group studies with adolescents. Limitations focused on methodological concerns, recruitment challenges, and the potential influences of peers and the moderator on research results. Remedies are suggested for modifying the focus group method to address these potential challenges within the context of adolescent development and adolescent-friendly care.

Coming of Age Online: The Developmental Underpinnings of Girls’ Blogs

Adolescent girls have emerged as the largest demographic of bloggers in the United States. In this study, the author interviewed 20 girls, aged 17 to 21, who had been blogging for 3 or more years. Consistent with previous studies involving youths’ online activities, the girls discussed their use of blogging for self-expression and peer interaction. They also observed that the content and style of their blog writing has changed considerably over the years. Their observations reflect key changes in self-development and peer relationships that typically occur during the transition from adolescence to emerging adulthood. Drawing on these findings, the author presents a conceptual framework that illustrates how developmental theory can illuminate our understanding of adolescents’ and emerging adults’ online behaviors.

Retrospective report of social withdrawal during adolescence and current maladjustment in young adulthood: cross-cultural comparisons between Australian and South Korean students

The current study investigated associations between the frequency of and motivations for social withdrawal during adolescence and emotional distress in young adulthood. Perceived motivations for social withdrawal included unsociability, isolation, shyness, and low mood. Social withdrawal during adolescence was assessed using a retrospective questionnaire completed by Australian and Korean university students. They also completed measures of general self-worth, social relationships, loneliness, social anxiety, and depression at university. Partial correlations and path analyses revealed that different motivations for social withdrawal had different risk status for later adjustment across the two samples. In particular, it appeared that shy and unsociable individuals in Korea showed better social and emotional adjustment than their counterparts in Australia. In contrast, social relationships of sad/depressed and isolated respondents in Korea appeared to be more seriously impaired than their Australian counterparts. These cross-cultural differences are discussed in terms of socio-cultural values and environments unique to the two countries.