Peer relationships play a crucial role in different aspects of college students’ lives in the United States and other parts of the world. Brown et al. (1990) defined peer crowds as “reputation based collectives of similarly stereotyped individuals who may or may not spend much time together” (p. 177). Peer crowds have benefits such as promoting the development of an individual’s identity or self- concept and facilitating social interactions (Brown et al., 1994). Peer crowds also help in the development of friendships and provide social support (Brown, Eicher, & Petrie, 1986).
Hopmeyer & Medovoy (2017) highlighted that a few researchers have used peer crowds common in adolescence to evaluate the relationship between peer crowd affiliations in college and students’ risk taking behaviors (Sessa, 2007;Stapleton, Turissi, & Hillhouse,
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They identified peer crowds in college which were classified under four dimensions which are social, athletic, scholastic, and counterculture. These dimensions describe the main aspects of college campuses in North America (Hopmeyer & Medovoy, 2017). These areas include sporting, intellectual, social, and cultural pursuits (Hopmeyer & Medovoy, 2017). Individuals who reported self- identification with the social dimension were more interested in the recreational and interpersonal aspects of college, for example the ‘Partiers’ or the ‘Greeks’ while individuals who participated in sports and identified themselves as ‘Jocks’ or ‘Athletes’ were associated with the athletic dimension (Hopmeyer & Medovoy, 2017). The scholastic dimension comprised of individuals oriented towards academics, politics, culture, and environmental issues in college, for example ‘Foreign Exchange’, ‘Academic’, ‘Ethnic’ (Hopmeyer &
Some college students might try to be more inclusive of others outside their own racial group by interacting across racial/ethnic lines. Humphrey’s states that although “students today do sometimes choose to live, socialize, or study together with similar backgrounds.” (575, Hoeffner and Hoeffner) however, she believes self-segregation does not appear to be widespread.
Walking around a university’s campus any day of the week, one sees an array of Greek letters worn proudly by young men and women in the Greek system. Fraternities and sororities play a big part in a university. The Greek system can also be an easy target to direct criticism. There are those who oppose the Greek system and those who embrace it. Evan Wright opposes the Greek system in his article “Sister Act” that was featured in Rolling Stone Magazine. He uses examples from students at Ohio State University in Columbus to show his disapproval of the way sororities are now days. He portrays sorority girls as catty conformists who are obsessed with partying with fraternity guys. Evan Wright’s insubstantial claim is full of half-truths in reference to alcohol consumption, conformity, and the purpose of sororities; therefore, his critical position that sororities are corrupt is not credible.
I decided to analyze and examine the social structure of the Greek System at Syracuse University, mainly out of curiosity. When I was in high school I remembered hearing from various of my former classmates, who were then freshmen at college, that one of the best activities students experience was attending the “frat” parties students threw. In high school, I thought that college parties were the same as the ones found in movies like “American Pie” so hearing people speak so fondly of college parties confirmed my beliefs of what the social aspect of college was. Now that I’m a freshman at Syracuse University, and have experienced the social atmosphere firsthand, I’ve noticed how different the social scene on campus really is in comparison to the movies and how it is greatly enhanced by the Greek community. Examining the Greek system is significant to me because Greek life is a dominant tradition in many universities, both academically and socially, and I am interested in understanding why it is so prominent here on campus.
Identification with a peer group is a critical part of growing up because even though there is a mix between valuable and invaluable points, no one wants to be left with nobody to help them figure out how they fit in the world and get pass tough times. Peer pressure can have positive impacts and not so good but the postive are too valuable to overpass, leaning us over to conclude that classifying with a circle of close friends are a key factor when going into the real
When one first thinks of Greek life or a sorority the only thing that comes to mind is the social aspect. Most people don’t think of sororities as social institutions that envelop their own culture, with mannerisms, languages and customs that are unique to each individual organization. However, these institutions promote a common set of values that enable members to become connected in a way that has a more profound meaning than just social interaction. Greek organizations are good examples of how institutions can affect and be affected by social status and roles within the collegiate community. They are also a prime example of how race, class and gender can affect a social setting in both positive and negative manners.
Yakusheva, O., Kapinos, K., & Weiss, M. (2011). Peer effects and the freshman 15: Evidence from a natural experiment. Economics & Human Biology, 9(2), 119-132.
Greek organizations are debatably the most undervalued and misconceived aspect of college campuses. Most people don’t see the benefits that fraternities and sororities bring to college campuses and their communities. Some see these organizations as large beneficial clubs and others see them as potential problems. Many of the allegations put forth by individuals that discredit the benefits and good deeds done by Greek organizations are weak justifications for their removal from college campuses. Greek organizations provide campus communities with academically responsible students, philanthropic activities and increase community involvement.
High school athletics leave a major impact on everybody that is involved with them. It also can even leave a mark on people who aren’t associated with them. There are many conflicting opinions on whether high school sports are a positive or negative influence on a student’s life. Athletics in high school can have an effect on the community as a whole. In H.G. Bisssinger’s highly regarded Friday Night Lights, high school football is accurately portrayed as the most important thing in Texas; it receives much more attention than academics. Football players are often treated like celebrities; yielding confidence, and at the same time creating pressure.
I was 18 years old and still going to high school when I first visited a university and experienced the real college life for a weekend. I was completely naive in that world and had no idea about how diverse and distinct from reality it was. But there was something that really caught and continues to trap my attention about my visit to this peculiar school: fraternities and sororities. I had not known what they were, until my visit made their concept clear. Even though I was not an integral part of them, I could see what they were all about. I would define each one of them as a separate subculture with their own rules and rights.
College is a time for young people to develop and grow not only in their education, but social aspects as well. One of the biggest social scenes found around college campuses are athletic events, but where would these college sports be without their dedicated athletes? Student athletes get a lot of praise for their achievements on the field, but tend to disregard the work they accomplish in the classroom. Living in a college environment as a student athlete has a great deal of advantages as well as disadvantages that affect education and anti-intellectualism.
Most popular kids engage in a school sport which makes them well known and liked throughout their social atmosphere, not only by their peers, but by their teachers as well. Many outcast do not engage in these acts of physical teams like sports, but rather in other institutions such as a culture, theater, and various academic clubs. These tend to be labeled “uncool” and separate these kids from other students. Their “abnormal” interests, that vary from the conventional athletics, can make them looked down upon and questioned by others. Having these preferable extracurricular activities is normal, yet these kids tend to be misunderstood by the jocks who don’t have a particular preference to these clubs. Based on the same survey from stageoflife.com, interests are the second leading cause of teens feeling inferior to their peers at 49% (stageoflife.com). Also, “63% of teens say that their appearance is an important factor in their identity” (stageoflife.com). Kids feel that their ability in activities causes them to subordinate to others. Teens are often judged for these interests which should not happen since their enjoyments are irrelevant to popularity
People who have become involved in sports and recreation develop a larger group of friends, receive more social support, and are more likely to engage in conversation with o...
Social influence/peer groups were one of the dominant themes in my observations, survey, and literature. Social influence looks at how individual thoughts, actions and feelings are influenced by social groups (Aronson, 2010).The desire to be accepted and liked by others can lead to dangerous behavior. College life can be an overwhelming experience for first time college students and or transfer students as they struggle to manage class time and social activities in an attempt to fit-in in the new environment that they may not be used to. Students can experience too much anxiety and drop out of college or fall behind classes. Working at the Cambell Student Union information Center, I observed a great deal of students falling into this trap of social influence and peer pressure. A female student tripped as she was going up the stairs to Spot Coffee but did not fall. What appears to be a group of guys who are not popular (guys who are not very well known), were seating where popular students normally seat. The group of guys started laughing at the girl and stopped. One guy kept laughing, but it was obvious he was forcing the laughter as to purposely attract attention. He started making jokes about the girl and carrying on the laughter so he would appear to be funny. Another example, which portrays peer influence, involves parties over the weekend. Multiple students stated they were falling behind in classes on the grounds of their friends wanted to go out the night before and they did not want to seem/appear “lame” so they tagged along. The influence of a group is intensified by the person’s desire to be an accepted member of the peer group. To achieve this desire he tries to conform in everyday to the patterns approved by the grou...
Peer pressure is the influence from members of one’s peer group. Peer pressure affect many school aged children, and teenager, because of the desire to want to fit in. Affects of giving into peer pressure can lead to taking drugs, drinking alcohol, and having sex. By researching
In adolescence friendships normally exist within the larger social structure of peer relationships. In this larger social setting each adolescent has a particular role to play and is usually aware of their own status within the group. Close friendships are not independent of such status. Popular or successful youngsters stick together. Those who are 'in' do not mix as frequently with those on the periphery of what is acceptable to the group. Whereas the standards and styles set by the peer group can set highly influential markers around acceptable and unacceptable behaviours for young people, it is in individual friendships that young people find support and security, negotiate their emotional independence, exchange information, put beliefs and feelings into words and develop a new and different perspective of themse...