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The importance of peers in regard to socialisation, development, and overcoming challenges during adolescence has become increasingly relevant. Nevertheless, there is little knowledge available so far in regard to how peers help or influence each other reciprocally and how important adults and basic social conditions are for peer groups. By means of ethnographic observations and interviews, therefore, the conditions of togetherness in the context of peers should be examined. Within the framework of this study, different groups of approx. 14-year-old adolescents are accompanied in a first stage and interviews are conducted with adolescents and adults from the groups’ environments. After two years, the then 16-year-olds are to be contacted, accompanied, and interviewed in regard to their experiences and assessments once more.
Through the comparison of groups of female and male adolescents as well as through incorporating organised and unorganised groups, the peculiarities of different groups can be recognised. Since the study considers different age groups, developments and changes in regard to the importance of peers during adolescence can be recognised as well. In addition, it can be shown to what extent adolescents and adults assess these processes in a similar manner and what peculiarities are at centre stage for the individuals involved. Finally, it can be analysed under which conditions and when, respectively, the delineation from adults as well as from their social environment becomes paramount and in what way and when, respectively, inputs and support by adults are experienced.
By incorporating different contexts and perspectives as well as by the comparative approach, the project is able to contribute to closing research gaps in regard to the importance of peers for adolescent socialisation and to clarify the relationship between peer groups and other social actors.
The research project is supported financially by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF).
