What role does the peer group play in adolescence?

A peer group serves many important roles in adolescence in the developing life of a young adult. Peers can often act as a way for a child’s need for acceptance and instil a sense of belonging. The messages provided by a peer group serve as a foundation for the child’s socialization- which behaviors are acceptable and which ones are not. They play the role of support in times of difficulty and stress and they also share joy and excitement, motivation, healthy competition and companionship. Peer groups grow with a child into adolescence and provide a concrete foundation for getting along with others, developing morals and values, learning appropriate socio-cultural roles and initially help in achieving personal independence.