SOCIAL SCIENCE

Dynamics of self and others in close relationships

ADOLESCENT CROWDS
• how identify is formed among peers
• crowds can direct identity construction and interactions
CHANGES IN PEER GROUPS DURING ADOLESCENT TRANSITION
• the amount of time spent with peers increases
• peer groups function without adult supervision
• increasing contact with peers from the opposite sex; initiation of romantic and sexual
relationships
• emergence of larger, hierarchical collectives of peers aka “crowds”
• increase in stability, supportiveness, intimacy in friendships
FORMING CLIQUES AND CROWDS
• structurally different and serve different functions
• CLIQUES, i.e., BARKADA
• small groups (2-12); same sex (usually)
• defined by common activities and deep friendship
• important context for social interaction, developing intimacy, learning social skills
WHAT ARE CROWDS
• large, reputation-based collectives of similarly stereotyped individuals who may or may
not spend time together
• are not ‘real’, but are social constructions, prototypes or caricatures channeled into
contexts of quality relationships
- a crowd is a social structure
- it is not a physical group (not a clique or a barkada)
- general label or association for a big group with people with similarities
- closely tied to the concept of reputation
• ex. The Breakfast Club
- they form their own clique but they’re from different crowds
• what are crowds:
- a crowd is a larger circle
- clique could come from the same crowd but crowd couldn’t exactly be a clique
HOW COME CROWDS ARE FORMED DURING ADOLESCENCE AND NOT CHILDHOOD
• there is an increase in peer interactions with both sexes
• there is a decrease in parental supervision (individualization)
• because of a larger population of peers, a hierarchy of collectives (crowds) are formed
• relationships are more complex and sophisticated
MORE ABOUT CROWDS
• they aren’t exclusive and a person can have more than one crowd
• a person does not perfectly comply to a crowd’s stereotype
• there are different intensities (e.g. campus beauty icon with a hidden geek side)
• as we mature, crowds become more defined, open, less hierarchical
• two main functions: (1) foster development of identity, (2) structure social interaction

1
 RELATIONAL DEFINITION
PERSPECTIVES
caricature • identity development aspects of crowds
• exaggerated representation of someone, a stereotype
• the crowd you identify with serves as general overview
• society someone tells you how you’re supposed to be
• reflects traits and nature of crowd; template
• provides a social niche or place for adolescent; locates adolescents within
social structure of the school
• supports process of development
• sets ‘perspective’ identity: how you SHOULD be—similarities and differences
• crowd members set norms: sometimes negative, sometimes positive (e.g.
pa-cool)
• function of crowds as caricature: helps adolescents understand available
social identities they can choose from
- clarify alternative identities or crowds other than the ones they’re part of
- social map: give idea of identity of those around them
- knowing your place in helps decide how to conduct yourself or interact
with others
- social interactionist theory
- social identity theory
channel • lean towards certain groups and prevents interaction with others
• helps adolescents predict if a certain group will provide positive or negative
experience
• directs or channels adolescents’ social relationships- who they can and
cannot interact with
• three features put into consideration when judging and interacting if a crowd
is worth it (proximity, permeability, desirability)
• proximity: enhance the likelihood of developing friendships, what is referred
to here is the ‘social distance’
- after caricaturing, adolescents judge their positions on a social map
- the closer the crowds are, the more compatible the members are
- relationships are not likely to develop when interacting with crowds far
from the home crowd
• permeability: tendency for crowds to close their doors on outsiders
- crowds are not exclusive so relationships may be made if peers are
receptive to inter-crowd associations
- relative
- certain crowd may be open to some crowds but hostile to others
• desirability: crowd affiliation is not obvious unlike most group memberships
- by changing one’s attitudes, activities, or associates, one can be
recognized as a member of a different crowd
- befriending, or being befriended by members of another crowd is a
primary mechanism by which such shifts in crowd affiliation occur
- associations with a proximal and permeable crowd is avoided because
of the undesirability
- can be seen in ethnic groups (e.g. minorities associate themselves with
other minorities more than with Caucasians)
- not absolute and it varies according to crowd affiliation

2
 RELATIONAL DEFINITION
PERSPECTIVES
context • different ends of status hierarchy have different contexts for peer
relationships
- demands of their status, position, and partly the consequence of family
interaction or socialization strategies
- when people seek friends out of popularity, their relationships tend to
break
- many seek it for personal gain and pay no heed to mutual relationships
• Eckert explained that parents and teachers have trained youth to adapt a
hierarchical orientation
• bonding is scarce since ‘friendships’ are self-serving
• high-status group: relationships are superficial and competitive, more
‘instrumental’ than ‘expressive’
- populars, jocks, preppies, trendies
- they use friendships to establish and maintain their social position
- they must be ready to cast aside a friend when a better candidate comes
• low-status group: relationships are with depth, stability, loyalty,
commitment, and honesty
- emotionally-distant parents can lead adolescents to look to peers for
emotional support
• superficiality: response to relational pressures faced in high-status crowds
- rational way to cope with the steady barrage of friendship overtures is to
settle for short-term, superficial relationships, that allow one to be wary
of one’s partner’s motives
1. peer group structures change across adolescence
• there is a difference between one’s experience throughout the years
- junior high: ‘normies’ ‘dweebs’ vs. ‘populars’ ‘cool’ = diverse and specific
- college freshies: ‘weaboos’ ‘nerds’ ‘wolfpacks’ = complicated and
dynamic
2. changes in relational characteristics of crowds
• when ‘populars’ maintain an undisputed possession of top rung on status
ladder, people’s views change over time
- admiration → envy → avoidance
- ‘disenchanted with the populars’ snobbery and cliquishness
3. shift in the salience of crowd affiliation
• adolescents in trend tend to change crowd affiliation due to ‘frustrated
efforts to express their own personal attitudes and interests’
- individuals shift to diff. crowd who will accommodate personal interests
- liking something of the current trend in order to fit in
- in it for the clour
4. crowd affiliation changes itself
• crowds are dynamic as the individuals that belong to them
- younger crowds tend to change often to broaden their affiliation to other
individuals
- evolves over time