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Chapter I – Introduction

Introduction

No man is an island. This adage by John Donne implies that it is a fundamental

human need to obtain a connection to a group in society. This is the reason individuals

particularly teenagers have their own peer group. Peer groups are a type of social group

that is made up of people who share similar interests, social status, and are usually in

the same age group. Peers, specifically peer groups are essential for social

development such as learning how to coexist with others and learning how to receive

help and support. They are also considered important for cognitive, affective, and

behavioral development, and have been described as crucial for identity development

during adolescence (Wentzel, 2005).

Adolescence is a period of change in numerous areas of an individual’s life. This

is normally the phase where individuals make significant decisions about their

commitment to important aspects in their lives such as family, religion and most

importantly academics. The members of one’s peer group are likely to influence a

person’s beliefs and behavior. They can be a source of motivation or a lack thereof

(Ryan, 2002). Hence, the researchers decided to study the influences of peer groups on

the academic performance of the grade 10 students in Saint Theresa’s College of Cebu.

This is important since various studies express that a peer group can impact a student’s

academic performance significantly. The results derived from the study can benefit not

only the respondents but also other students about the link between their peers and their

own school performance.

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According to a study published by the Williams Project on the Study of

Economics in Higher Education, stronger students do have an impact on their peers and

actually help improve the overall academic performance of the peer group. A large study

done by CREDE (Center for Research in Education, Diversity, and Excellence) in Hawaii

recommended that peer groups can "exert extraordinary influence" during early

adolescence on personal goals and school aspirations. Moreover, a study of 11th

graders by the National Bureau of Economic Research in the USA demonstrated that

they were "highly responsive" to what their peers were doing and this affected their

decision making.

Peers can bring both positive and negative impacts on each other’s performance

in school. It varies in how much and how the students receive the climate of the peers

coming from the group ( Mosha, 2017). Positive influences of peer groups include having

higher graders (Stock, 2019) , higher school attendance, being more involved in school

activities, having specific skills honed, enhancing study skills, and the like (Guido,2017).

However, some of the negative influences of peers to a student include dropping grades

(O’Connor, 1997), lower school attendance (Sangle, 2015), habitual procrastination, low

aspiration to go to college and many more. Apparently, experts do agree that peer

groups can have an influence on academic performance but they don't agree on the

extent of that influence. This is because there are several variables that can potentially

affect academic success such as parental involvement, positive role models and the

students’ own perception of education.

Statement of the Problem

As peer groups are said to impact a student’s academic performance, the

researchers would like to focus on the information on the students’ peer groups,
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academic activities observed by their peer groups and the positive and negative

influences of peers on their academic performance. Thus, this study focuses on the peer

group influences on academic performance among the grade 10 students.

Moreover, it seeks to answer the following questions:

1.) What kind of peer group do students belong to?

2.) What academic practices do the students engage in?

3.) In what way does the peer group positively influence the student's academic

performance?

4.) In what way does the peer group negatively influence the student's academic

performance?

Limitations of the Study

. The researchers intend to conduct the study in Saint Theresa’s College of Cebu

for the focus of the study was mainly on the 134 grade 10 students. The study aimed to

determine the influences a peer group can give to a student’s academic performance,

but not concerned about its influence on an individuals’ attitude or perception on other

matters. Since the research focused primarily on grade 10 students, the results cannot

be used as a reference on any other grade level of that school year. The researchers

have also encountered two other limits concerning their study. The first would be those

who do not belong to a peer group. The second one would be the absence of

respondents due to unforeseeable circumstances. To conduct the research,

questionnaires specifically multiple-choice questionnaires with single-answer questions

were made and given to the respondents

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Chapter II- Methodology

The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of peer groups on the

academic performance of the grade 10 students of Saint Theresa’s College of Cebu.

The respondents of the study are the 134 grade 10 students of the aforementioned

school. Since the study aimed to cover every member of the population, everyone was

included in the research and no sampling method was applied. The researchers,

although part of the population, excluded themselves in answering the questionnaires.

The research was conducted through making and handing out multiple-choice

questionnaires with the respondents being asked to shade the box of their answers for

each question. Written instructions within each questionnaire assured the respondents of

complete confidentiality. The questionnaire contains questions on the information on the

peer groups of the students, academic practices being done with their peer groups and

the positive and negative influences of their peer groups to their academic achievement

The research was done from August to October. Starting from the third week of

August, the researchers brainstormed about the topic and made the research draft. The

giving of questionnaires to the respondents was done in September. The making of the

final output followed and it ended in the first week of October. There were no special

procedures followed such as instructions that will be read to the participants when

answering the survey. It was simply given to them. However, the basic procedures in

conducting research were observed by the researchers which were identifying a topic,

reviewing related studies about the topic, making a research question, preparing the

time frame or research design, gathering and collecting of data, analyzing and

interpreting data , and making conclusion and recommendations out of it.

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Chapter III- Results

Presentation, Interpretation and Analysis of Data

Graph 1

Kinds of Peer Groups that Students Belong To

Outside the
10% 1% 3% 1% 3% 1%
campus(neighbors)
10%
Classmates

Batch mates

School mates

School organizations
71%
Sports teams

None

Others

Graph 1 shows the kinds of peer groups that the Grade 10 students belong to.

Out of 134 students, 70.9% of the population or 95 students belong to a peer group

composed of students within their batch, 10% or 14 students belong to a peer group

which consists of school mates, 9.7% or 13 students belong to a peer group which

consists of their classmates, 3% or 4 students belong to a sports team while another 3%

belong to other peer groups not included in the choices such as peers who are outside

the city, church mates , varied and part of a youth organization , 1.4% or 2 students

belong to a peer group outside the campus specifically their neighbors, while 1% or 1

student belongs to a school organization while another 1% belongs to no peer group.

This means that the majority of the 134 students belong to a peer group composed of

students within their batch.

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Graph 2

Academic Practices that Students Engage with their Peers

5% 4% 16% Engaging in study groups

2% Helping each other in
20% homeworks
Reviewing for an exam
Comparing and sharing
notes
Showing and critiquing
performance for
presentations
12% 41% None
Others

Graph 2 shows the academic practices or activities that the Grade 10 students

engage in with their peers. It shows that out of the 134 Grade 10 students, 41% of the

population or 55 students assist each other in their homework and other assignments,

20% or 26 students compare and share notes with their peers, 16% or 21 students

engage in study groups, 12% or 16 students review for any exams, 5% or 7 students

don’t engage in any academic practices with their peers while 4% or 6 students engage

in other academic practices such as doing all of the mentioned activities with their peer

group, and 2% or 3 students show and critique each other’s performances for

presentations. Thus, most of the grade 10 students help their peers in making

homework.
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Graph 3

Positive Influences of Peer Group to Academic Performance

Higher school attendance

Getting higher grades

6% 1% 3% Eliminates procrastination
24% 30%

Sharpens study skills

Getting more involved in school

activities

15% 12%
9% Develops specific skills(critical
thinking,communication,leadership,etc)

None

Others

Graph 3 shows the positive influences that the Grade 10 students have reported

to experience after engaging in various academic activities with their peers. Out of the

total population, 30% or 40 students said that they have gotten higher grades, 24% or 32

students developed specific skills (critical thinking, communicating, leadership, etc.),

15% or 20 students are more interested in participating in school activities, 12% or 17

students have their study skills enhanced, 9% or 12 students avoided procrastination,

6% or 8 students gained no positive influence, 3% or 4 students have noticed that they

have higher school attendance, and 1% or 1 student gained other positive influences

that were not offered to them in the questionnaire which was being motivated in making

homework. Therefore, most of the respondents got higher grades after engaging in

academic activities with their peers.

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Graph 4

Negative Influences of Peer Group to Academic Performance

Lower school attendance

Dropping of grades
7%
1%
Habitual procrastination
1%
59%
Low aspiration to go to
college
30%
Being inactive in school
activities

Poor study habits

1% 1%
None

Others

Graph 4 shows the negative influences the Grade 10 students have reported to

experience after engaging with their peers. Out of the total respondents, 59% or 79

students have reported to experiencing no negative influence, 30% or 41 students are

experiencing habitual procrastination, 7% or 10 students gained poor study habits, 1% or

1 student reported inactivity in school activities, another 1% reports having low

aspirations to go to college, also another 1% noticed a drop in his/her grades, and the

last 1% reported of having a much lower attendance in school .There were no other

negative influences not part of the choices that the respondents mentioned having

experienced after engaging with their peers. Thus, most of them have experienced no

negative influence after engaging with their peers.

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Chapter IV- Conclusions and recommendations

In conclusion, the majority of the 134 grade 10 students belong to a peer group

composed of students within their batch. It was also demonstrated that most of their peer

groups help each other in doing homework. The positive influence that students have

reported to experience after engaging in various academic activities with their peers is

getting higher grades. On the other hand, most of them have reported experiencing no

negative influence after engaging with their peers. However, the negative influence that

most of them have experienced because of their peers is habitual procrastination. Based

on these results, we can generate that peer groups have positive and negative

influences on the academic performance of students.

Discussions

The results gathered indicate that most of the grade 10 students belong to a peer

group composed of students within their batch. It is then followed by peer groups which

consist of school mates and classmates. This holds to the definition of a peer group

wherein it is a group of people of approximately the same age, status, and interests.

Students usually build up friendships with their peers from school throughout the years

which results in the group hanging out in and out of school. With this data, the

researchers can be able to tell how peer groups affect the academic performances of the

grade 10 students. According to a large study done by CREDE (the Center for Research

in Education, Diversity, and Excellence), it was suggested that peer groups can "exert

extraordinary influence" on personal goals and school aspirations.

According to graph 2, most of the grade 10 students help their peers in

making homework. This result fits the theory that peers, specifically peer groups are
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essential for social development like in coping with demands, especially in school. In this

case, most peer groups assist each other in doing homework since it is assigned by the

teachers most of the time than examinations or presentations. These kinds of academic

practices have a huge impact on the academic performance of the students. There was

a study on grade 11 students by the National Bureau of Economic Research in the USA

and it showed that the students were "highly responsive" to what their peers in their

class were doing, which affected their decision-making. This shows that other peer

groups may have done these kinds of practices that influence other peer groups to do

the same.

From the third graph, we can conclude that most of the students have peer

groups with positive influences since most of them got higher grades after engaging in

academic practices with them. The results support the claim of Stock (2019) that if you

surround yourselves with positive influences, you can see a change in your academic

performance especially the improvement of your grades. After getting higher grades,

most of them had developed specific skills. This may support the theory of the benefits

of engaging in study groups. Other than having an increase in grades and the enhancing

of specific skills, Stock also cited that peer groups with positive influence can encourage

one to participate in school activities.

It should be noted in the fourth graph that although some respondents

have experienced negative influences brought about by their peers, the majority of the

population stated to not gain any negative influence. This finding supports the theory of

experts agreeing that peer groups can influence academic performance but disapproving

of the extent of that influence. Technically, this is because several factors can potentially

affect academic achievements such as parental involvement, positive role models and

the students’ perception of education as mentioned in the introduction. This suggests

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that peer influence among teenagers does not directly affect them in a negative way but

it varies in how much and how the students receive the climate of the peers coming from

the group (Mosha, 2017). Therefore, the researchers again can conclude that most of

the students surround themselves with positive people or peers.

Overall, the analyses confirm that peer groups can impact a student’s academic

performance both positively and negatively. Hence, it is up to students’ to choose their

peers since they are in control of the people that they choose to engage with.

Fortunately, most of the grade 10 students have chosen a positive circle of influence for

them to succeed in school.

Recommendations

Based on the findings from the study and analysis of data that was gathered from

the questionnaires, the researchers would like to make the following recommendations:

A. For the study sponsor

1. There is a significant relationship between peer groups and academic

performance. Therefore, the options that students make in regards to their

engagement and academic performance in school must be thoroughly guided

and supported by their parents or guardians.

2. Guidance counselors should play a prominent role in the matter of peer group

influence by organizing lectures, seminars, career talk and symposiums that can

create positive awareness on the influence of peer group instead of negative

ones.
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3. Teachers and government agencies should have active participation and should

get involved in the shaping of students by introducing informative and helpful

programs that could educate about peer groups’ influences so it could help them

refocus towards excellent academic performance.

4. Students must also be careful when choosing peer groups to be part of most

especially in school and if one is aiming to have a very good academic

performance.

B. For other researchers:

Associated with the limitations of the study, the researchers would like to suggest the

following areas to be looked into:

1. The study should be further extended beyond one batch of students. If this could

be done, it would make more reports on peer group relationships and its

influences on the academic performances of students in school.

2. The study should compare the academic performances between students who

are within a peer group and those who are not to see the differences of those

who belong to a peer group and those who do not belong to one.

3. The study should identify as many positive and negative influences as possible

that peer groups can incorporate into one’s academic performance in school.

This way, it can help identify or keep track of students’ performance in school.

4. Possible topics for further studies may include looking at research on

elementary-aged students in relation to peer influence, ethnicity and peer groups,

the effects of divorce on peer relations or academic performance, and

researches related to peer influence on decision-making.

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References

1. Abdullahi, I. (n.d.). The factors and effect of peer group influence on academic
performance of adolescent students in Niger state. Retrieved from
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UDENTS_IN_NIGER_STATE

2. Briggs, S. (2013, June 7). How peer teaching improves student learning and 10 ways
to encourage it. Retrieved from
[Link]

3. Brown, E. (2017, June 7). 6 advantages of collaborative learning. Retrieved from

[Link]

4. Bursztyn, L., & Bursztyn, R. (2014, November). How does peer pressure affect
educational investments? Retrieved from [Link]

5. Cascio, C. (2019). What are some advantages and disadvantages of peer tutoring?
Retrieved from [Link]
[Link]

6. Delp, V. (n.d.). How peers influence academic performance. Retrieved from

[Link]
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7. Guido, M. (2017, April 18). 15 easy peer teaching strategies to help students.
Retrieved from [Link]
teaching-strategies/

8. Justin, A. (2018, May 2). Peer group: definition and concept. Retrieved from
[Link]

9. Mapesa, M. S. (2013). Peer influence on academic performance of form one

students in girls boarding secondary schools in Kanduyi Constituency: Kenya.
Retrieved from [Link]

10. Olalekan, A. (2016). Influence of peer group relationship on the academic

performance of students in secondary schools (a case study of selected secondary
schools in Atiba local government area of Oyo state). Retrieved from
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[Link]

12. Uzezi, J. G., & Deya, G. D. (2017). Relationship between peer group influence and
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Appendix
Copy of the questionnaire:

The Peer Group Influences on Academic Performance among the Grade 10 Students

Greetings! We, the research group 6 of 10-D would like you to answer a series of
questions to examine peer groups and their influence on your academic performance. The
questionnaire will ask on questions such as information on your peer group, academic activities
concerning your peer group, and the positive and negative influences of your peers to your
academic performance. We assure you that your data will be kept with the utmost confidentiality.

Thank you for your cooperation.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CN:__ Name: __________________________________________________________ Sec:___

Instruction: Please shade the box of your answer. You can only shade one item per number.

1.) What kind of peer group do you belong to?

 Outside the campus (neighbors)
 Classmates
 Batch mates
 Schoolmates
 School Organizations
 Sports teams
 None
 Others (pls. specify)________________________
2.) What academic practices do you engage with your peer groups?
 Engaging in study groups
 Helping each other in homework
 Reviewing for an exam
 Comparing and sharing notes
 Showing and critiquing performance for presentations
 None
 Others (pls. specify)________________________
3.) What positive influence did your peer group bring to your academic performance?
 Higher school attendance
 Getting higher grades
 Eliminates procrastination
 Sharpens study skills
 Getting more involved in school activities
 Develops specific skills (critical thinking, communication, leadership, etc.)
 None
 Others (pls. specify)________________________
4.) What negative influence did your peer group bring to your academic performance?
 Lower school attendance
 Dropping of grades
 Habitual procrastination
 Low aspiration to go to college
 Being inactive in school activities
 Poor study habits
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 None
 Others (pls. specify)________________________