PEER GROUP

A 'peer group' is a group of people of approximately the same age, social status, and interests. To work out the relationship with peers, there can be confusion for people to find out how they fit in. Some groups are socialized by peers rather than by their families or conventional institutions. They define themselves as a gang or sometimes as a circle of friends.
Peer groups are also used in the helping professions such as massage therapy, nursing, psychotherapy to provide a support system for professionals. The purpose of peer groups is to allow each member to come to know themselves better so that they may better serve their clients/patients. Each person brings their issues to the group with the intention of getting support in dealing with the feelings around each issue. The group uses active listening, mirroring and skill such as "focusing" to support each person. "No fixing, no advising, no setting each other straight" is the basic framework of support.
Often high schools create Peer Leadership Programs in order to support a healthy school community. As younger members enter into the new environment it shifts to the peer leaders to take on the challenge of helping adjustment to the new social situation. They stress the importance of emotional relationships which can allow for growth as a whole. Peer groups are designed to help the new members understand that everyone is similar and that acceptance and trust are keys in large social settings. They become the antithesis of the usual peer group association supported by clichés.

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Further reading

★ An evolutionary perspective on children's motivation in the peer group. ''International Journal of Behavioral Development, 19(1),'' 53-73. Full text