Peer Groups

Unlike parents, siblings, teachers, and church and official leaders who have power over the teenagers they are trying the socialize, peers do not posses such power. In fact, they are equal in social status and do not have the power to punish or sanction behavior. Unlike a family which one is born into or a school that one has to attend, peer groups are voluntary association, teenagers can leave and join peer groups at any …

…much time with one another and rely on each other for support. The elderly in the family rely on the other members for support. However, in the American society, family members are so busy with their jobs and life outside of the house that they do not have much time to dedicate to their children, who come to spend much of their time with their friends and rely on their friends for advice and support.