Chapter 4: Peer Relationships and Social Motivational Processes

Being successful at school requires students to perform a range of social as well as academic tasks. In addition to mastering subject matter, developing effective learning strategies, and performing well on tests, adolescents also must work to maintain and establish interpersonal relationships, strive to develop social identities and a sense of belongingness, and observe and model standards for performance displayed by others. Although positive interactions with teachers and peers can motivate and support the development of these social and intellectual competencies, this chapter will focus on positive interactions with peers during adolescence. Adolescents who enjoy positive relationships with peers experience levels of emotional well-being, beliefs about the self, and values for prosocial forms of behavior and social interaction that are stronger and more adaptive than do those without positive peer relationships. Moreover, they also tend to be engaged in and even excel at academic tasks more than those who have peer relationship problems (Wentzel, 2005). Therefore, finding ways to facilitate and support the development of adolescents’ positive relationships with each other remains a central and important challenge for educators.