The Role of Peer Influence in Adolescent Academic Motivation: A Review of Mechanisms, Contexts, and Future Directions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54097/p5ca6f02Keywords:
Peer Influence; Academic Motivation; Adolescence; Social Cognitive Theory.Abstract
Academic motivation in adolescents is a significant force with the potential to affect their future success, and peer influence plays a major role therein. Here we review this dichotomy, sifting through the literature to consolidate recent findings and realign a field that has started to go in many different directions. Moreover, our synthesis makes evident that peer influence is not a simple dichotomous good-or-bad quality, but rather a friend group-level attribute with varying outcomes based on the overall attitude and ways of interacting within such a group. In most cases, positive influence works in a more subtle way, as it acts indirectly by increasing the confidence and engagement of a student. Conversely, a very negative influence, particularly online, looms to drain academic attention directly from the student. As a result, it presents a relatively comprehensive framework for addressing this complex topic, as well as opportunities for future research in relation to digital peer dynamics and more efficient interventions in the schools.
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