SOCIAL

RELATIONSHIP
IN MIDDLE AND
LATE
ADOLESCENCE

What is Social Relationship?

In this chapter, we will expand the relationship of

adolescents to a wider group of people, such as
schoolmates, school authorities, neighbors,
community acquaintances, fellow members to social
organizations, strangers they often meet casually in
social gatherings, and even the small groupings of
friends in school usually referred to as cliques.

Social relationship tend to be less intimate, and with

lesser self-disclosure involved, but may still be
exclusive, and may demand certain levels of loyalty
as in fraternities or religious organizations, and to na
lesser extent, loosely knitted social clubs like
practitioners to certain specialized professions.

Middle and late adolescents usually find themselves in

the company of their peers, usually from the school or
the neighborhood. As they gravitate more toward
these groups, the attachment to family as thieir
primary source of personal source of personal
development now shifts toward these peer groups.

Being able to create friendships and new attachments

is critical in the development of adolescents as they
transition to young adulthood. From highschool to
college, adolescents mature faster socially, and new
lessons are learned especially on how their social
interactions affirm their self-identity, increase their
self-esteem and develop their capacity to nurture
relationship.

Golemans Social Intelligence

Theory

Emotional Intelligence author Daniel Goleman

explained in his book, Social intelligence: The New
Science of Human Relationships (2006), how our
brains are wired to connect with other people, and
how part of the brain located just above the ayes
called orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is connected directly
to the three major regions of the brain: the cortex, the
amygdala, and the brain stem.

The Relationship Between Social

Intelligence and Emotional
Intelligence

Varieties or Types of Social

Influence
Herbert Kelman, a Harvard psychologist, suggested that
there are three varieties of social influence, namely:
1.

Compliance is when a person seems to agree,

and follows what is requested or required to him or
her to do believe in, but does not necessarily have
to really believe or agree to it.

2.

Identification is when a person is influenced by

someone he or she likes or looks up to, like a movie
star, a social celebruty, or a superhero.

3.

Internalization - is when a person is able to own a

certain belief or act, and is willing to make it known
publicly and privately.

Social scientists and psychologists

identified other types of social influence as:

Conformity is a type of social influence that involves a

change in behavior, belief, or thinking to be like others.

Conversion occurs when an individual whole heartedly

changes his or her original thinking and beliefs, actions, and
attitudes to align with those of the other members of a group.

Minority influence happens when a bigger number of

people are influenced by a much smaller number of people
and when the minoritys way of looking at and doing things
are accepted.

Reaction is when there is a willing rejection of a social

influence being exerted on an individual or group.

Obedience is another form of social influence where in a

person son follows what someone tell him or her to do,
although it may not necessarily reflect the persons set of
beliefs or values.

Persuasion is used by one person or group to influence

another to change their beliefs, actions, or attitudes by
appealing to reason or emotion.

Leadership and Followership

Theories

Influence plays a major role in leadership. Chester

Barnard (1938) defined leadership as the ability of a
person in position of authority to influence others to
behave such a manner that goals are achieved.

Theories of leadership:

Trait Theory this theory defines leadership based on

certain personality traits which are generally suited for
all leaders, such as decisiveness, persistence, high level
of self confidence and assertiveness, among others.

Behavioral Theory this theory presupposes that

leadership is a learned behavior, and that leaders are
defined according to certain types of behavior they
exhibit.

Participative Theory the opposite of an autocratic

leader, the participative leader involves other people to
make common decisions.

Situational Theory this theory assumes that there is

no one style of leadership and that leadership behavior
is based on the factors present in a situation, and
usually takes into consideration how followers behave.

Transactional Theory this theory states that

leadership involves a transaction or negotiation of
resources or position and usually employs reward and
punishment.

Transformational Theory this theory involves a

vision, which a leader uses to rally support from
followers, and the role of the leader is in motivating
others to support the vision and make it happen.

Authentic Leadership

1.

Other leadership theories currently being explored and

researched on are combinations of the different theories
mentioned earlier. In the book Why Should Anyone Be Led
by You?: What It Takes to Be an Authentic Leader by Rob
Goffee and Gareth Jones (2006), the authors lined up three
basic axioms of leadership, and these are:
Leadership is situational. This means that a leaders

behavior and what is required of him will always be

influenced by the situation.
2.

Leadership is non-hierarchical. The exercise of

leadership is not based on ones position in an

organizational chart alone, but also dependent on other
factors such as characterictics, skills, and even
connections.
3.

Leadership is relational. Leaders and followers establish

a relationship where their interests are mutually met. The

role of a leader in this relationship can vary from being a
visionary to a cheerleader.

An authentic leader, according to Goffee

and Jones (2006) has the following critical
elements present:
They

walk their talk. They are consistent in

what they say and what they do, practicing
what they are preaching.
They adjust to situations and display
adaptability and flexibility but consistent
with their values and real selves even when
they take on different roles during different
situations.
They have a high level of comfort being
themselves, even if they come from
backgrounds that are different from the
people or situations they deal with.

Heroic Leadership
1.

Self-awareness we have emphasized the

importance of self awareness, knowing and
understanding fully our strengths and challenges,
our way of looking at things, and even our emotions
and the set of values that we live by. This type of
leadership considers self-awareness as very
important to being leader.

2.

Ingenuity a leader of this type is not struck in his

comfort zone because the world is constantly
changing.

3.

Love a healthy self concept generates a healthy

and positive attitudes when dealing with other
people.

4.

Heroism this type of leadership is about

motivating and inspiring other people to reach for
higher goals, for bigger and greater things.

Four elements followers want

from a leader:

Authenticity the leader is not afraid to show his or

her weakness, reveals his human side without fear,
and uses these together with his strengths to lead
others;

Significance a leader provides the reason or

meaning for followers to believe in;

Excitement a leader provides motivation and

inspiration to his or her followers and excites them to
pursue their vision; and

Community - a leader builds a community to

followers with whom they can associate and forge
relationships.