Peer Influence

Peer Influence Student Name Institution Course Professor Date Peer Influence Adolescence is a time of major changes in social and emotional development that are accompanied by changes in reliance on parents and peers. As adolescents develop formal operational thinking supported by Piaget's formal operational stage, increasing intensification of peer influence occurs as adolescents develop identity and autonomy. Around age 11, Piaget's formal operational stage kicks in, which allows abstract thinking, hypothesis testing, and deductive reasoning (Pakpahan & Saragih, 2022). With the ability to think about several possible outcomes and engage in moral reasoning, adolescents often tend to rely more on peers who have had similar experiences and viewpoints. It encourages them to balance the advice of peers and their parents. A need for acceptance and belonging is the cause of adolescents' growing reliance on peers. Teens often find that this shift also takes away some parental influence while they prioritize ac...