“Excuse me!” my roommate exclaimed as her phone vibrated and the glass screen glowed.
Bolting away from the diner table, heading for the door, I waited patiently for her return as
the warm smell of my diner circulated around my nose. I’ve gotten used to the fact that life
nowadays is “pausable”. Whether it is for a phone call or text message people never
hesitate to answer, no matter what the circumstances are. For my peers and me, moments
like these are not uncommon; we live in the moment. Most relationships are constantly
connected and this will only make bonds between me and peers stronger as the years
progress.
After noticing the constant connectivity present in adolescence’s lives, it triggered interest
about peer relationships throughout young adulthood and their effects on individuals. What
makes peer relationships so strong? It could be the fact that all the members in a clique
mold into one personality, or on the other hand it could be that they all met each other due
to similar interests. Although every clique is unique, they all have the strong connections
that can be investigated as a whole. Several research projects have been conducted that
explored peer relationships. I chose two different articles that introduced opposite
perspectives on peer relationships and how they build an individuals character. Although a
majority of the articles agreed that association with peers directly affected individual
behavior, this is not true under all circumstances.
Vilayanur S. Ramachandran, the author of “Encyclopedia of Human Behavior” is the
Director of the Center for Brian and Cognition, and is currently a Professor in the
Department of Psychology. What Rachachandran examined was that adolescents spend
about half the amount of time with their parents as they do with their peers
(Rachachandran 35). This is due to the constant strive to reach a feeling of acceptance into
a social group. As Ramachandran states, “Through peer interaction, children learn about
their social worlds, establish identities, and develop close, intimate friends” (34). In this
statement he is saying how significantly peer relationships affect adolescents. Peers
introduce each other to many social groups. This is when peers expand out to new
behaviors and interests, which then allow them to establish their “own” identity.
Rachachandran believes establishing an adolescents identity is not only based off their
own opinion but their peers as well (35). Because all adolescents want to fell like they
belong in a group, they will alter their behaviors in order to fit in with others (34). This is
