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Agents of Socialization 87

a “nonmember,” an “outcast.” For preteens and teens just learning their way around in
the world, it is not surprising that the peer group rules. As you know, peer groups can be
vicious in enforcing their norms, the focus of the Down-to-Earth Sociology box below.
As a result, the standards of our peer groups tend to dominate our lives. If your
peers, for example, listen to rap, Nortec, death metal, rock and roll, country, or gos-
pel, it is almost inevitable that you also prefer that kind of music. In high school, if
your friends take math courses, you probably do, too (Crosnoe et al. 2008). It is the
same for clothing styles and dating standards. Peer influences also extend to behaviors
that violate social norms. If your peers are college-bound and upwardly striving, this
is most likely what you will be; but if they use drugs, cheat, and steal, you are likely to
do so, too.

Down-to-Earth Sociology

Gossip and Ridicule to Enforce Adolescent Norms

dolescence is not known as the turbulent years for Once even one other person agreed with it, no one seemed
nothing. During this period of our lives, the security willing to challenge the “group” view. So in order to participate
Aof a self-identity rooted in parental relations and in the gossip, you pretty much needed to join in with the nega-
family life is being ripped from us as we attempt to piece tive comments or else be sure to speak up quickly.
together a strong sense of individual identity. This sense of When we studied teasing, we also saw the power of a
who we are apart from our parents and siblings does not response to shape the meaning of an exchange. One day
come easily. At this stage of life, we simply don’t know who during volleyball practice, a girl said that another girl was
we are yet, and seldom do we have a good sense of whom showing off her new bra through her white tee-shirt. The girl
we will become. The process of developing a sense of self responded by saying, “If I want to show off my bra, I’ll do it
by evaluating the reflections like this,” lifting her shirt up.
we receive from others is not By responding playfully, she
new, but its severity at this disarmed the insulter, and her
point of life grows acute. Here teammates all joined in on the
is what sociologist Donna Eder laughter.
said about her research on In this large middle school,
adolescent girls. status hierarchies were based
on appearance, social class,
I became concerned while and intelligence. Those at the
reading studies on adolescent bottom of the status rankings
girls. Many of these studies were isolates, eating lunch by
reported a drop in girls’ self- themselves or with other low
esteem and self-image when status students. As isolates,
they entered junior high school. they were frequent targets of
I hired both female and male ridicule from students trying to
assistants to observe lunchtime build themselves up by putting
interaction along with me as Gossip and ridicule increase the status insecurity of this time of life. others down. Both boys and
I wanted to study both girls girls picked on the isolates,
and boys from different social class backgrounds. We also at- most of whom lacked the skills to turn the exchanges into
tended after-school sports events and cheerleading practices. playful ones.
All of us took field notes after we left the setting and tape-
recorded lunchtime conversations.
Some of the things we observed were painful to watch. For Your Consideration
Through our recordings of gossip and ridicule, we learned a lot ↑ What was school like for you at this age? Did you observe
about what might make girls so insecure. For one thing, much anything like this? Why do you think peer groups at this stage
of the gossip involved negative comments on other girls’ ap- in life are so critical, even vicious? Why do peer groups, at all
pearances as well as their “stuck up” behavior. The only time stages of life, produce isolates?
that anyone disagreed with someone’s negative evaluation
was if they did so early on, right after the remark was made. Source: Redacted from Eder 2014.