ABSTRACT
Media research has often focused on the family as a natural unit of media consumption for the obvious reason that media equipment is often situated at home and media are used in domestic situations. In studies with this focus, media and media use were found to have several social functions in family life (see Lull, 1990; Morley, 1986; Silverstone, 1994). The role of the peer group in young people’s media consumption and reception has been relatively little studied, even though they are both considered to be central socialization agents. 1 The peer group can be seen both to have an impact on media choices and to play an important role in the media reception process (for example, Buckingham 1993; Hodge & Tripp, 1986; Kytomaki, 1999).
