PS276 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Juvenile Delinquency, Peer Pressure
Document Summary
The origins of adolescent peer groups in contemporary. Adolescent peer groups based on friendships formed in school were not prevalent until well into 20th century as before that high school was a luxury. Rapid growth of teen population b/w 1955-1975 (baby boom) created an adolescent boom for about 15 years. Changes in size of adolescent population may warrent changes in allocation of funds for social services, educational programs, health care and effects competition in workforce etc. Some claim age segregation has led to development of separate youth culture in which young people maintain attitudes contrary to those of adults. Others say industrialization and modernization have made peer groups more important and adults alone cannot prepare young people for the future. Problems like youth unemployment, teen suicide, juvenile delinquency, drug use, premarital pregnancy etc can be attributed to rise of peer groups and isolation of adolescents from adults.
