As children enter adolescence, social status within the peer hierarchy gains importance. Variable-oriented research has linked adolescent popularity with both positive and negative adjustment outcomes. Popularity may be better understood with reference to types or subgroups of similar individuals, identified through person-oriented approaches. Resource Control Theory (RCT: Hawley, 1999) posits three distinct types of popular adolescents: coercive, prosocial, and bistrategic. The existence and adjustment correlates of the prosocial and coercive groups have been well-established, but little evidence supports the existence of a bistrategic popular group of adolescents, and even less is known about their adjustment correlates. The present study aims to confirm the existence of the popularity groups hypothesized by RCT and to identify group differences in social adjustment and problem behaviors. A sample of 568 adolescents (n = 288 girls, 280 boys; M age = 12.50) completed peer nomination procedures and self-report questionnaires in the Fall and Spring of the 7th and 8th grades. Longitudinal latent profile analyses classified adolescents into profile groups on the basis of initial physical aggression, relational aggression, and prosocial behavior, and four time points of popularity spanning the 7th and 8th grades. Repeated measures ANOVAs examined profile group differences in social adjustment (peer acceptance, peer rejection, physical victimization, relational victimization, and preference for solitude) and problem behaviors (disruptiveness and delinquency) across the 7th and 8th grades. Results indicate that adolescents fall into one of four distinct groups: aggressive popular, prosocial popular, bistrategic popular, and average. Bistrategic popular adolescents evinced positive social adjustment, exhibiting the highest levels of popularity and peer acceptance and the lowest levels of peer rejection, victimization, and preference for solitude. Despite their social skill advantages, bistrategic popular adolescents were also at risk for problem behaviors. Bistrategic popular adolescents scored above average on problem behaviors, including physical and relational aggression, disruptiveness, and delinquency. Bistrategic popular adolescents successfully navigate the social world in a manner that both offers hope for positive long-term adjustment and concern for the same. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

During a period of increased independence from parents, youth turn to peers for support, and consequently become more vulnerable to peer pressure (Steinberg & Silverberg, 1986). During middle adolescence, vulnerability to peer influence begins to decline (Steinberg & Monahan, 2007). Empirical research has documented this trend in vulnerability to peer pressure across adolescence, but less attention has been afforded to the age-related changes in similarity. To address this, age-related changes in peer similarity in delinquency across the adolescent years were examinded using intraclass correlations. Moderating variables, including gender, reciprocity, and closeness, and control variables, including friendship stability and romantic partner status, were examined. Results indicated an increase in friend similarity in delinquency from 5th to 7th grade and a decrease in similarity from 7th to 9th grade. Implications of this study are discussed in terms of contribution to the field and implementation of the findings. / by Ashley D. Richmond. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2012. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Friends have been implicated in the acquisition of adolescent substance use, but little attention has been given to how the origins of substance use similarity vary across groups. The first aim of this study is to examine whether friend selection, de-selection, and socialization differ as a function of friendship group's substance use. The second aim of this study is to extend Simulation Investigation for Empirical Network Analyses (SIENA) by demonstrating how group-level interactions can be included in the mode, and to demonstrate a new method to follow-up statistically significant group-level interactions in SIENA. Participants include 1419 Finnish students (729 females, 690 males) from upper secondary schools in Finland. Two waves of data were collected, starting when most participants were between 15 and 17 years of age. Waves of data collection were separated by one year. Results indicate that friends are selected, deselected, and socialized for substance use. Follow-up illustrations indicate that the magnitude of these processes vary as a function of substance use in the friendship group. / by Dawn DeLay. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Attachment, a vital part of human life, is defined as a strong emotional bond with a caregiver that is formed through repetitions of behaviors that children adjust to accordingly. One forms a view on relationships that transfers from parents to peers as a result of their internal working model (IWM). A secure attachment can form a healthy model while an insecure one may form an unhealthy, negative model. The present study assesses preadolescents' attachment styles toward their friends and examines whether their attachment styles interact with peers' attachment styles to predict liking of the peers and aggression toward the peers. / by Alexzandria May. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Close friends have been shown to influence adolescent problem behaviors, especially alcohol abuse (Urberg, Degirmencioglu, and Pilgrim, 1997). The degree of influence, however varies as a function of individual characteristics such as peer acceptance (Laursen, Hafen, Kerr, and Stattin, 2012) and age (Popp et al., 2008). The present study examines whether differences in influence extend to perceptions of friendship quality. Using a sample of 764 Swedish adolescents involved in stable samesex reciprocal best friend relationships that lasted at least one year, analyses used distinguishable dyad actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) analyses (Kenny, Kashy, & Cook, 2006) to track influence over two years of the friendship. More satisfied friends were more influential than less satisfied friends on intoxication frequency and truancy. The findings of this study indicate that influence accompanies perceptions of quality. Those with higher perceptions of quality exhibit more influence on friends who perceive relatively lower quality. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013.

Michelle Siu Mui Yik. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 36-43).

The aim of the present study was to explore the role of teacher preference and peer acceptance in determining children's self-concept. In particular, it was proposed that teacher preference and peer acceptance would mediate the effect of children's academic performance and social behaviours on self-concepts. One thousand, one hundred and twelve elementary school students (Grade 1 to Grade 6) and their class teachers participated in this study. Teacher preference was indicated by the class teacher's personal liking towards each student in their classes on a five-point scale, while peer acceptance was indexed by unlimited within class nomination of friends. Students' self-concepts were captured by Harter's (1982) Perceived Competence Scale for Children. Both teacher ratings and peer nominations were used to measure children's social behaviours (i.e., prosocial leadership, aggression and social withdrawal). Results showed that peer acceptance mediated the relation between children's social behaviours and self-concepts. In order to further understand teachers and peers' influence on children, children were divided into four groups with regard to teachers and peers' preferences. The four status groups were 'popular stars', 'teachers' pets', 'students' heroes', and 'rejected'. Since this premise has not been empirically tested, the four status groups were profiled in terms of self-concept, academic performance, and social behaviours. Potential differences among the four status groups were also examined and discussed in this study. / Fung, Yau Fong. / Adviser: Chang Lei. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 72-04, Section: A, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 142-160). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese; appendix in Chinese.

Lee, Hung Fei. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 67). / Abstract also in Chinese. / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.P.1 / Chapter 2 --- Literature Reviews --- p.P.1 / Chapter 2.1 --- Sources of peer effect --- p.P.1 / Chapter 2.2 --- Peer pressure and contracts --- p.p.8 / Chapter 3 --- Model --- p.p.16 / Chapter 4 --- First Best Situation --- p.p.18 / Chapter 5 --- Revenue Sharing Contract under Peer Pressure --- p.p.20 / Chapter 5.1 --- No constraints on the fixed payments and commission rates --- p.p.21 / Chapter 5.2 --- "Negative fixed payment is allowed, but the sum of commission rates has to be less than 100%" --- p.p.24 / Chapter 5.3 --- Negative fixed payment is not allowed --- p.p.27 / Chapter 5.4 --- Implications on human resource investment --- p.p.31 / Chapter 5.5 --- Implications on players preference for a new member --- p.p.33 / Chapter 6 --- Fixed Wage Contract with Supervision under Peer Pressure --- p.p.33 / Chapter 6.1 --- No agent exceeding the target --- p.p.34 / Chapter 6.2 --- One agent exceeding the target --- p.p.40 / Chapter 6.3 --- Implications on human resource investment --- p.p.44 / Chapter 6.4 --- Implications on players' preference for a new member --- p.p.45 / Chapter 7 --- The Choice between Revenue Sharing and Fixed Wage --- p.p.46 / Chapter 8 --- Conclusion --- p.p.49 / Chapter 9 --- Appendix --- p.p.49

This study explores youth's perceptions and understanding of the social phenomenon of drugs in our society. Sixty-four students (32 fourth graders and 32 eleventh graders), selected from schools in the Portland Public School District participated individually in a one hour interview where they responded to open ended questions that probed for their perceptions of drug use. Participants were also asked to describe their feelings regarding anti-drug messages they view in the media and their comments regarding the "Just Say NO" program. The tape-recorded interviews were transcribed and half were used to develop a code that captured recurring themes in the data. Using the code book, five trained individuals coded the 64 transcripts. Reliability, assessed by computing Cohen's Kappa on half the interviews, ranged from .62 to .75, with an average reliability of .69. Seventeen themes derived from the content analysis were discussed which confirm the dramatic impact the peer group has on drug use as well as demonstrate age differences associated with perceptions of anti-drug messages. One hundred percent of the participants noted that there are peer influences promoting drug use. Eleventh graders were more likely than fourth graders to note that drugs are used as a means to escape, overcome constraints or for pleasurable stimulation. Fourth graders were more positive in their responses to the anti-drug commercials and the "Just Say NO" campaign. This research provides information regarding the perceptions of young people that can potentially broaden the dialogue of program planners as well as increase the effectiveness of anti-drug programs and messages.

In recent years, the use of bystander intervention training to address campus sexual violence has risen rapidly. More research is critically needed to guide the ongoing development and implementation of prevention efforts by campuses utilizing this relatively new approach. This investigation examined associations between college students' bystander intervention behavior and three key factors: (1) perceived peer norms supportive of sexual violence; (2) perceived campus administrative response to sexual violence; and (3) sense of campus community. Data from a sample of 2370 college students was analyzed using hierarchical linear regression to test both direct and moderated effects. Findings revealed that both peer norms supportive of sexual violence and perceptions of campus administrative response to sexual violence were significantly associated with bystander intervention. No significant direct or moderating effects related to sense of campus community were uncovered in this sample. Implications of this study include contributing to the current knowledge base about factors associated with bystander intervention behavior, and informing campus efforts to make bystander training programs more effective.