ABSTRACT
Teens find themselves embedded in a multilevel system of peer affiliations. At the most intimate level of peer affiliation is the clique . This typically includes a few close friends, often identified as best friends. The next level of peer affiliation is the social group . This may include dozens of peers, all sharing some common interest . These social groups are often identified with a name or label, like the jocks or the gamers, which defines their common interest . Research shows that many socially accepted teens belong to more than one social group , floating naturally between different friendship networks, and often finding their best friends from among these social groups . The last level of peer affiliation is the larger peer group . This group typically includes teens around the same age, made up of individuals from different cliques or social groups , but who do not necessarily share common interests or socialize with one another. For most teens, the larger peer group may include the entire student body of a school.
