Peer Influence (Group Influence)

All children as they mature are continually influenced by their peers around them. The peers shape the way a child acts based on how they are acting. For example, a teen who sees people who he/she thinks are "cool" smoking, he/she is more likely to start smoking because he/she wants to fit in with the "cool" kids. In the same topic, teens who already smoke are typically seen with other teens who already smoke as well. This results from the "selection effect", where teenagers find friends who have similar interests and behaviors. In conclusion, peers definitely influence maturing children by setting and following certain trends.