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Social Changes during Adolescent Development

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International Journal of Applied Management Research,
Vol.5 (Special Issue).
TISSL International Publications, Belgium

Social Changes during Adolescent Development

P. Udhayakumar and P. Ilango

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this paper is to examine the concept of social changes during adolescence
development. Adolescence is an age when an individual becomes integrated into the society of
adults, the age when the child no longer feels that he is below the level of elders, equal, at least
in rights. This integration into adult society has many affective aspects and changes in social
behaviour. The purpose of this quantitative, descriptive study was to explore social changes
among adolescence – namely the peer group influence, social behaviour, social grouping,
selection of friends, values in social acceptance and values in selection of leaders during
adolescence. Self -prepared 5 point scale was used to assess the social changes among
adolescence. Since friendship in early adolescence plays an important role in psychosocial
development, the findings of the study shows that more one third (38%) of the adolescence
have (1-5) friends and more than half (52%) of the adolescents have intimate relationships
with their friends. The study also reveals that social grouping during adolescence have a
significant relation with the age and significant difference with respect to the sex of the
adolescence.
Keywords: Social Change, Social behavior, Adolescence
P.Udhayakumar, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Central University of
Tamilnadu, Tiruvarur

Dr.P. Ilango, Professor, Department of Social work, Mangalore University,

Mangalagangotri.

INTRODUCTION
Adolescence is the transitional period between late childhood and the beginning of
adulthood, and marks the beginning of the reproductive lifespan in humans.
Adolescence involves sexual maturity in terms of hormones and physical
development of the body, and is also characterised by an increase in the complexity
of group interactions and thus social behaviour (Lerner and Steinberg, 2004).
Adolescence is a period of development and consolidation of the social self, of one’s
identity and understanding of the self in relation to the social world (Coleman and
Hendry, 1990). Anecdotal evidence and self-report data suggest that children seem
to become progressively self-conscious and concerned with other people’s opinions
as they go through puberty and the period of adolescence (Steinberg, 2005). The
psychosocial context of adolescents is markedly different to that of children and
adults. Relationships with peers, family and society go through distinct changes
during this time. Social change, which entails large scale alternations in ideological,
technological, and economic systems within societies, has significant implications for
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adolescent’s development. For example, social change can affect the structure and
dynamics of social contexts that adolescents experience on a daily basis such as
family, school and youth groups. It can also alter the social institutions and cultural
belief systems that organize the adolescent period. Today’s challenges to youth
continue to be thought of in terms of risks and opportunities. Challenges emanate
not only from adolescents’ engagement in risky behaviours but also from dramatic
social changes that influence their lives (Nancy et al., 2000).

Social Change and Adolescent Development

Like other phases of the life span, adolescence is shaped by the sociocultural
context in which it occurs. The skills young people are expected to master, the kinds
of choice they must make, and the settings they negotiate during the adolescent
years are prescribed by social institutions (e.g., the educational system) and by
shared expectations concerning the requirements for success in adulthood (Cockett,
1997). Social change, which entails large scale alternations in ideological,
technological, and economic systems within societies, has significant implications for
adolescent’s development. For example, social change can affect the structure and
dynamics of social contexts that adolescents experience on a daily basis such as
family, school and youth groups. It can also alter the social institutions and cultural
belief systems that organize the adolescent period. One of the most difficult
developmental tasks of adolescence relates to social adjustment. These adjustments
must be made to members of the opposite sex in a relationship that never existed
before and to adults outside the family and school environments. To achieve the goal
of adult patterns of socialization, the adolescent must make many new adjustments,
the most important and in many respects, the most difficult of which are those to the
increased influence of the peer group, changes in social behaviour, new social
grouping, new values in friendship selection, new value in social acceptance and
rejection, and new values in the selection of leaders (Herlock, 1981).

METHODOLOGY
This study tries to understand the “Impact of social changes in adolescence
development” – namely the peer group influence during adolescents, changes in
social behaviour during adolescence, social groping during adolescence, new value
in selection of friends, social acceptance and selection of leaders during adolescence.
Descriptive research design was used. The respondents were 100 (51 male and 49
female) undergraduate students of Urmu Dhanalakshmi College, Tiruchirappalli
and they were selected through proportionate stratified random sampling
procedure. The objectives of the study are: a) to study about the peer group influence
during adolescence, b) to discuss about the changes in social behaviour during
adolescence, c) to find out the new social grouping during adolescence, d) to
evaluate about the new values in selection of friends, e) To discuss about the new
values in social acceptance and f) to analyse the values in selection of leaders.

INSTRUMENTS
The demographic questionnaire included information regarding the
respondents age, gender, course of study, religious orientation, domical, economic

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status, family size, and staying. 77-Item Self -prepared 5 point scale was used to
assess the social changes among adolescence. The items of scale have been divided
into 6 major categories: peer group influence, social behavior, selection of friends,
selection of leaders, social acceptance, social grouping adolescence and selection of
leaders during adolescence. The scale ranges from 1 strongly disagree, 2. Disagree, 3.
Neutral, 4. Strongly agree and 5. Agree. The researcher also found the reliability of
the scale, which is 0.811.

RESULTS

Table 1: Distribution of Elderly by their Age, Sex, Number of Friends

and Relationship with Friends
Characteristics No. of Percentage
Respondents
(n:100)
Age
17 27 27.0
18 43 43.0
19 30 30.0

Sex
Male 59 59.0
Female 41 41.0
Domicile
Urban 52 52.0
Rural 48 48.0

Number of Friends
1-5 38 38.0
6-10 28 28.0
Above 10 34 34.0
Relationship with
Friends 52 52.0
Intimate 39 39.0
Very good 06 6.0
Good 03 3.0
Fair

Table 1, indicates that less than half (43%) of the respondents were in the age
group of 18 years and more than one fourth (27%) of the respondents are in the age
group of 17 years and remaining (30%) of the respondents are in the age group of 19
years . It was inferred that the adolescents were found invariably in all age groups.
With regard to the sex of the adolescence, more than half (59%) are male and less
than half (41%) of the respondents were female. This shows that adolescent
problems may be among all sex. Regarding the domicile of the respondents, more
than half (52%) of the respondents are from urban area. Friendship in early
adolescence has been identified as an important role in psychosocial development.
(Bukowsky et al., 1998). Further, Bishop and Inderbitzen (1995) have demonstrated
3
the relevant relationship between friendship during childhood and adolescence and
cognitive and personality development. Accordingly, the findings of this study
depicts that more than half (52%) of the adolescents had intimate relationship with
their friends and more than one third (39%) of the adolescence had a very good
relation with their friends.

Table 2: Difference between the respondents Gender and various dimensions

of Social Change
S.No Type of Family Mean Std. Statistical
Deviation Inference
1 Peer group influence
during Adolescence t =0.703
Male (n:59) 29.73 4.52 P> 0.05
Female (n:41) 29.12 3.82 Not Significant
2 Changes in Social Behavior
during Adolescence t =1.047
Male (n:59) 33.97 4.92 P>0.05
Female (n:41) 34.90 3.52 Not Significant
3 Social Grouping
t =2.795
Adolescence 32.7 4.57
P< 0.05
Male (n:59) 35.56 5.66
Significant
Female (n:41)
4 Selection of Friends during
Adolescence t =0.475
Male (n:59) 30.97 3.81 P> 0.05
Female (n:41) 31.32 3.35 Not Significant
5 Social Acceptance during
Adolescence t =2.437
Male (n:59) 25.66 3.18 P< 0.05
Female (n:41) 23.95 3.81 Significant
6 Selection of Leaders
during Adolescence t =0.457
Male (n:59) 32.05 4.52 P> 0.05
Female (n:41) 31.66 3.76 Not Significant
7 Overall Social changes
among Adolescence t =0.567
Male (n:59) 185.07 16.60 P> 0.05
Female (n:41) 186.51 12.95 Not Significant
Adolescence is one of life’s fascinating and perhaps most complex stages, a
time when young people take on new responsibilities and experiment with
independence. They search for identity, learn to apply values acquired in early
childhood and develop skills that will help them become caring and responsible
adults (UNICEF, 2002). The findings shows that peer group influence during
adolescence do not differ significantly with respect to their gender. The calculated ‘t’
value 1.047 is not significant at 0.05 levels. Further, changes in social behaviour
during adolescence do not differ significantly with the gender of the adolescence.

4
The ‘t’ value 1.047 is not significant at 0.05 levels. This shows that changes in social
behaviour during adolescence have similar scores with male and female
adolescence. With respect to the social grouping during adolescence, the mean score
(35.56) of female respondents is higher than the mean score (32.7) of male
respondents and this implies that there is a significant difference between the
changes in social behaviour and gender of the adolescence. Selection of friends
during adolescence does not differ significantly with respect to the gender of the
respondents (t =0.475, P< 0.05). This study reveals that the male and female
adolescents differ significantly with respect to social acceptance. The mean score
(25.66) of male respondents is higher compared to the mean score (23.95) female
respondents, where‘t’ value 2.437 is significant at 0.05 levels. Further, there is no
significant difference between the selection of leaders during adolescence and
gender of the respondents. Since the overall social change mean score for male
(185.07) and female (186.51) adolescents are similar. The calculated‘t’ value 0.567 is
not significant at 0.05 levels and this implies that overall social changes among
adolescence do not differ significantly with respect to the gender of the adolescents.

Table 3: Karl Pearson’s Co-efficient of correlation between the Age and

various dimensions of Social Change

S.No Variable Correlation Statistical

Value Inference
1 Peer group influence during P > 0.05
Adolescence -0.042 Not Significant

2 Changes in Social Behavior P > 0.05

during Adolescence -0.101 Not Significant

3 Social Grouping during P < 0.05

Adolescence -0.232(*) Significant

4 Selection of Friends during P > 0.05

Adolescence -0.110 Not Significant

5 Social Acceptance during P > 0.05

Adolescence -0.031 Not Significant

6 Selection of Leaders during P > 0.05

Adolescence -0.150 Not Significant

7 Overall Social changes P > 0.05

among Adolescence -0.196 Not Significant

The psychosocial context of adolescents is markedly different to that of

children and adults. Relationships with peers, family and society go through distinct

5
 changes during this time. Adolescents begin to assert more autonomous control over
their decisions, emotions and actions, and start to disengage from parental control.
At the same time, the school context involves an intense socialisation process during
which adolescents become increasingly aware of the perspectives of classmates,
teachers and other societal influences (Berzonsky and Adams, 2003). Table 3,
indicates that there is no significant association between peer group influence,
changes in social behaviour, selection of friends, social acceptance , selection of
leaders and overall social changes among adolescents. But, social grouping during
adolescence has a significant correlation with age of the respondents. There are
changes in some of these social groupings as adolescence progresses. Interest in
organised groups, whose activates are planned and to larger extent controlled by
adults.

Table 4: Inter correlation Matrix for domains – Peer group influence, Change in
social Behaviour, Social grouping, Selection of friends, Social acceptance,
Selection of leaders and Overall social changes among adolescence
group

Social
Changes in Social

among
Selection of Leaders
Selection of Friends

Social Acceptance
Social Grouping

Adolescence
Behaviour
influence

changes
Overall
Peer

Peer group
1
influence
Changes in
0.195 1
Social Behaviour
Social Grouping 0.022 0.329(**) 1
Selection of
0.227(*) 0.375(**) 0.325(**) 1
Friends
Social
0.219(*) 0.163 0.090 0.252(*) 1
Acceptance
Selection of
0.214(**) 0.362(**) 0.177 0.170 0.404(**) 1
Leaders
Overall Social
0.508(**) 0.686(**) 0.593(**) 0.629(**) 0.545(**) 0.638(**) 1
changes
**Correlation is significant at 0.01 levels, *Correlation is significant at 0.05 levels
The table 4, depicts that social grouping during adolescence have positive
correlation with changes in social behaviour of the adolescents at 0.01 levels.
Selection of friends during adolescence has positive relation with peer group
influence of adolescence at 0.05 levels and it has significant relation with changes in
social behaviour and social grouping at 0.01 levels respectively. Social acceptances
during adolescence have positive relation with peer group influence and selection of
friends during adolescence at 0.05 levels. Selection of leaders during adolescence has
significant correlation with peer group influence, changes in social behaviour and
6
social acceptance of adolescents at 0.01 levels. Overall social changes among
adolescence have a positive correlation with peer group influence in adolescence,
changes in social behaviour during adolescence, social grouping during adolescence,
selection of friends during adolescence, social acceptance during adolescence and
selection of leaders during adolescence at 0.01 levels.

DISCUSSION
Adolescence is often described as a phase of life that begins in biology and
ends in society (Sharma 1996). The experience of adolescents during teen years
would vary considerably according to the cultural and social values of the network
of social identities they grow in. Adolescence is a stage in which young people
extend relationships beyond their parents and family. It is a time of intense influence
of peers, and the outside world in the society. The findings of this study also state
that selection of leaders and overall social changes among adolescents have positive
correlation with peer group influence during adolescence. Moreover, social
grouping during adolescence period have direct relations with social change among
adolescence. It is due to the fact that during adolescence the individual’s interests
shift from the strenuous and more formal social activities. The most common social
groupings during adolescence are close friends, cliques, crowds, organized groups
and gangs. It was found that overall social changes among adolescence relates with
changes in social behaviour, social grouping, selection of friends, social acceptance
and selection of leader during adolescence. Since the most difficult developmental
tasks of adolescence relates to social adjustment and to achieve the goal of adult
patterns of socialization, the adolescents must make many new adjustments with
respect to social behaviour, social grouping, friendship selection, social acceptance
and selection of leaders (Hurlock, 1981). During the adolescent period the
adolescence spend most of the time outside the home and act according to the
interest of the peer group. The relationship between the family members and the
adolescence gets disturbed. So the adolescents should minimize the time spending
with the peer group. Changes in social attitudes and behaviour takes place during
the adolescent period which results in social participation. So the adolescents should
learn to adjust with the environment in order to reduce prejudice and
discrimination. Since new social grouping such as close friends, cliques, crowds,
gangs etc., determines the character of adolescents. Hence, attention should be given
while selecting the group. The adolescents should use their own values in social
acceptance other than using the values of his peer groups. Adolescent counselling
services can be provided with all information related to adolescent development so
as to deal with the preliminary issues related to social change when ever arises.

CONCLUSION
Social adjustment being the most difficult task for adolescence, it is better to
have a thorough analysis of pros and cons of social change among adolescence. Is
should also be evaluated through necessary enumeration and investigation. In this
aspect the researcher took this study with social interest and brought out in-depth
investigation on analysis. If adolescence are re-moulded or re-shaped in a proper

7
 way, their attitudes would be positive; their life styles would be effective and they
may become the most suitable citizens of India.

REFERENCES

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