Chapter 10: Social Determinants of Public Behavior of Middle School Youth: Perceived Peer Norms and Need to be Accepted

Middle school years are often portrayed as the most difficult phase of young people’s lives. Parents and teachers report that students’ academic motivation declines and disciplinary problems increase (Eccles & Midgley, 1990). Such problems are often attributed to changes in young teens’ attitudes and values. Yet there are a number of studies that document youth endorsing attitudes and values that are consistent with those of most adults in our society. For example, adolescents believe that education is important to get ahead in society (Allen, Weissberg, & Hawkins,1989; Steinberg, Dornbusch, & Brown, 1992). But this belief does not seem to relate to, or explain, the public behavior of young adolescents in school, where they appear unmotivated and at times rebellious, challenging school rules and “causing trouble.” Thus, there appears to be a disparity between adolescents’ personal values or beliefs and their public behavior.